2. ALIENATION AND THE INTERNET Unit 3 ALIENATION AND THE INTERNET Unit 3

3. Watch the video and answer the following questions. 1. According to Mark, why did people come to the Facemash in a stampede? Pre-reading Activities - Audiovisual supplement 1 Audiovisual supplement Cultural information It wasn’t because they saw pictures of hot girls, but because they saw pictures of girls they knew. For one thing, there was nothing to hack. People would provide their own pictures, their own information, and people had the ability to invite, or not invite, their friends to join. In addition, in a world where social structure was everything, that was the thing. 2. According to Eduardo, what was so great about the idea?

4. Pre-reading Activities - Audiovisual supplement 2 Audiovisual supplement Cultural information From You’ve Got Mail

5. Mark: Eduardo: Mark: Eduardo: Mark: People came to the Facemash in a stampede, right? Yeah. But it wasn’t because they saw pictures of hot girls. You can go anywhere on the Internet and see pictures of hot girls. Yeah. That’s because they saw pictures of girls they knew. People want to go on the Internet and check out their friends, so why not build a website that offers that? Friends, pictures, profiles, whatever you can visit, browse around. Maybe it’s someone you just met at a party. But I’m not talking about a dating site. I’m talking Video Script1 Audiovisual supplement Cultural information

6. Video Script1 Eduardo: Mark: Eduardo: Mark: about taking the entire social experience of college and putting it online. I can’t feel my legs. I know. I’m totally psyched about this, too. But, Wardo? Yeah? (recalling): “It would be exclusive.” You would have to know the people on the site to get past your own page, like getting punched. Now, that’s good. Wardo, it’s like a final club, except we’re the president.

7. Video Script1 Eduardo: (recalling): I told him I thought it sounded great. It was a great idea. There was nothing to hack. People were gonna provide their own pictures, their own information. And people had the ability to invite, or not invite, their friends to join. See, in a world where social structure was everything, that was the thing.

8. The Internet is a wonderful source from which we can retrieve valuable information. Moreover, it facilitates our communication with people far away from us at a cost substantially less than that of traditional means of communication. Also, it can be an important building block to children’s learning because a vast amount of information is only clicks away. There is evidence suggesting that computer use is linked to slightly better academic performance. Cultural information 1 Audiovisual supplement Cultural information Pros and Cons of the Internet

9. Cultural information 2 Audiovisual supplement Cultural information However, there is sufficient evidence indicating that the Internet can exert a harmful influence on people. For example, its addictive power has increased children and youngsters’ time spent in front of the computer screens at the expense of other healthier physical activities, thus increasing their chance of getting overweight and short- sighted. In addition, children have limited ability of telling right from wrong and therefore are subject to the potential contaminating influence of the harmful materials on the Internet.

10. Global Reading - Main idea 1 Structural analysis Rhetorical features If the Internet allows for the free exchange of ideas, it helps to unify us. Then how does it alienate us while uniting us? How does it fragment society while globalizing ideas? This is the issue that the author tackles in the text. This piece of argumentative writing falls into three parts. Part I (Paragraphs 1 — 2): The writer presents his thesis in the opening part: the Internet may be responsible for furthering the fragmentation of society by alienating its individual users.

11. Global Reading - Main idea 1 Structural analysis Rhetorical features Part II (Paragraphs 3 — 6): The author supports his point with evidence and reasons in the body of argumentation. Part III (Paragraph 7): The writer reiterates his main idea in the conclusion of the text.

12. Global Reading - Main idea 1 Structural analysis Rhetorical features The thesis statement of the text is in the second paragraph: “... the Internet may be responsible for furthering the fragmentation of society by alienating its individual users.” The concluding statement appears at the beginning of the last paragraph: “All this being said, I believe that the key to realizing the potential of the Internet is in achieving balance in our lives.”

13. Structural analysis 1 Structural analysis Rhetorical features The seeming self-contradiction that the Internet can lead to globalization on the one hand and cause the alienation of the users from the people around them on the other is reinforced by the use of pairs of antonyms. Some examples: globalization/alienation; real / not real; reality / virtual existence; outside playing with his friends / play his games against his friends in the cyberspace Practice: Please find more examples of antonyms in the text.

14. The Internet provides an amazing forum for the free exchange of ideas. Given the relatively few restrictions governing access and usage, it is the communications modal equivalent of international waters. It is my personal belief that the human potential can only be realized by the globalization of ideas. I developed this position years before the Internet came into widespread use. And I am excited at the potential for the Internet to dramatically alter our global society for the better. However I am also troubled by the possible unintended negative consequences. Will Baker ALIENATION AND THE INTERNET Detailed reading1 Detailed reading 1

15. Detailed reading2 There has been much talk about the “new information age.” But much less widely reported has been the notion that the Internet may be responsible for furthering the fragmentation of society by alienating its individual users. At first this might sound like an apparent contradiction: how can something, that is on the one hand responsible for global unification by enabling the free exchange of ideas, alienate the participants? I had a recent discussion with a friend of mine who has what he described as a “problem” with the Internet. When I questioned further he said that he was “addicted,” Detailed reading 2 3

16. Detailed reading3 and has “forced” himself to go off-line. He said that he felt like an alcoholic, in that moderate use of the Internet was just not possible for him. I have not known this fellow to be given to exaggeration, therefore when he described his Internet binges, when he would spend over twenty-four hours on line non- stop, it gave me pause to think. He said, “the Internet isn’t real, but I was spending all my time on line, so I just had to stop.” He went on to say that all of the time that he spent on line might have skewed his sense of reality, and that it made him feel lonely and depressed. Detailed reading

17. Detailed reading4 The fragmentation of society has been lamented for some time now. It seems to me that it probably began in earnest after World War II when a generation returned from doing great deeds overseas. They won the war, and by God they were going to win the peace. Automobile ownership became commonplace and suburbs were created. “Progress” was their mantra. So even prior to the Internet’s widespread popularity, folks were already becoming distanced from their extended families and neighbors. And when we fast-forward to today we see an almost cruel irony in that people can and often do develop on-line relationships with folks on the other side of the globe, without leaving their homes. Detailed reading 4

18. Detailed reading5 Detailed reading But at the expense of the time that would have otherwise been available for involvement in other activities which might foster a sense of community in their villages, towns and cities. Last weekend my wife and I invited our extended family to our home to celebrate our daughter’s birthday. During the celebration my young nephew spent the entire time on my computer playing a simulated war game. My brother-in-law and I were chatting nearby and it struck us that in generations past, his son, my nephew, would have been outside playing with his friends. But now the little fellow goes on line to play his games against his friends in cyberspace. 5

19. Detailed reading6 Detailed reading It seems to me that the Internet is a powerful tool that presents an opportunity for the advancement of the acquisition and application of knowledge. However, based on my personal experience I can understand how, as they surf the web some folks might be confronted with cognitive overload. And I can also understand how one might have his or her sense of reality distorted in the process. Is the Internet a real place? Depending upon how a “real place” is defined it might very well be. At the very least, I believe that when we use the Internet, 6

20. Detailed reading7 Detailed reading we are forced to ask fundamental questions about how we perceive the world about us — perhaps another unintended consequence. Some would argue that the virtual existences created by some users who debate, shop, travel and have romance on line are in fact not real, while others would argue that, since in practical terms, folks are debating, shopping, traveling and having romance, the converse is true.

21. Detailed reading8 Detailed reading All of this being said, I believe that the key to realizing the potential of the Internet is in achieving balance in our lives. This would allow us to maximize its potential without losing our sense of place. However, like most things, that is easier said than done. It seems to me that we are a society that values immediate gratification above all else, and what better place to achieve it than in cyberspace, where the cyber-world is your cyber-oyster. The widespread use of the automobile forever changed our society and culture, and perhaps a similar sort of thing is occurring now. I am not at all 7

22. Detailed reading9 Detailed reading certain where the “information superhighway” will lead us: some say to Utopia, while others feel it’s the road to hell. But I do know that we all have the ability to maintain our sense of place in the world. Whether we choose to take advantage of this ability is another matter.

23. How does the author start his argument? Detailed reading1--Quesion 1 The author starts his argument by presenting an apparent contradiction: on the one hand, the Internet facilitates global unification by enabling the free exchange of ideas; on the other, it alienates the participants. Detailed reading

24. Detailed reading1--Quesion 2 Detailed reading What is the author’s purpose of citing the example of his friend in Paragraph 3? How is the example related to his argument? With the example of his friend, the author intends to convince the reader of the negative consequence of the Internet. His friend was addicted to the Internet and stayed on line too long. The side effect of the Internet upon his friend, i.e. distorting his sense of reality and making him feel lonely and depressed, is evidence that the Internet contributes to the fragmentation of society by alienating its individual users.

25. Detailed reading1--Quesion 3 Detailed reading What is the “cruel irony” concerning the use of the Internet mentioned at the end of Paragraph 4? The “cruel irony” means that on the one hand the Internet provides users with a convenient means of communicating and making friends with people far apart, but on the other, it estranges them from people around them by curtailing their availability for face-to- face communication even with their families and close friends and for involvement in community activities.

26. Detailed reading1--Quesion 4 Detailed reading What is the main idea of Paragraph 6? In this paragraph, the author means to illustrate how the overuse of the Internet may distort the user’s sense of reality.

27. Detailed reading1--Quesion 5 Detailed reading Does the author believe it is within human capacity to reap the benefit of the Internet without being penalized? Yes. He thinks that people are able to maintain their sense of place while exploiting the resources of the Internet.

28. Detailed reading1– Activity 1 Detailed reading Group discussion Do you find the Internet useful in your life? What advantages does the Internet bring to you? Are there any disadvantages of the Internet? Share your opinions about the pros and cons of the Internet with your groupmates.

29. given: prep. when you consider sth. Detailed reading1– given e.g. Given his age (= considering how old he is), he’s remarkably active. Given her interest in children, teaching seems the right job for her. Detailed reading given that: conj. e.g. It was surprising the government was re-elected, given that they had raised taxes so much. a. fixed for a purpose and stated as such e.g.They were to meet at a given time and place.

30. Detailed reading1– equivalent 1 Detailed reading equivalent: n. sth. equal in value, measure, force, effect or significance The dress cost the equivalent of a week’s salary. What is the equivalent of fifty pounds in US dollars? e.g. Comparison: equivalent (of/to sth.) a. equal in value, amount, meaning, importance, etc. Eight kilometers is roughly equivalent to five miles.e.g. Comparison: equivalent (to sth.)

31. Detailed reading1– equivalent 2 Detailed reading Rewrite the sentence using “equivalent”: Breathing such polluted air has the same effect as smoking ten cigarettes a day. Answer: Breathing such polluted air is the equivalent of smoking ten cigarettes a day. Breathing such polluted air is equivalent to smoking ten cigarettes a day.

32. Detailed reading1– dramatically Detailed reading dramatically: ad. suddenly and noticeably e.g. Prices have fallen dramatically. Events could have developed in a dramatically different way. a dramatic increase/fall/change/improvement dramatic results/developments/news e.g. Derivation: dramatic a.

33. Detailed reading1– alter Detailed reading alter: v. become different; make sb./sth. different e.g. He had altered so much that I scarcely recognized him. Nothing can alter the fact that we are to blame. The landscape has been radically altered, severely damaging wildlife. They are making major/minor alterations to the house. e.g. Derivation: alteration: n. a change to sth. that makes it different

34. Detailed reading1– alternate Detailed reading alternate: a. (of two things) happening or following one after the other regularly e.g. She puts alternate layers of fruit and cream to make cake. v. (cause to) follow by turns e.g.We alternate periods of work and sleep.

35. Detailed reading1– alternative 1 Detailed reading alternative: n. a thing that you can choose to do or have out of two or more possibilities e.g. You can be paid in cash weekly or by check monthly; those are the two alternatives. a. [only before noun] e.g.Have you got an alternative suggestion?

36. Detailed reading1– alternative 2 Detailed reading Blank filling: 1. This shirt will have to be ; it is too large. 2. This shirt needs ; it is too large. 3. His moods between happiness and gloom. 4. This method doesn’t work. Do you have an solution? altered ________ alteration ___________ alternate __________ alternative ____________

37. Detailed reading1– further Detailed reading further: v. help forward e.g. Additional training is probably the best way to further your career these days. The interests of an organization will never be furthered through acts of terrorism.

38. Note that when the same form is used as a noun, the stress shifts to the first syllable. Detailed reading1– fragment 1 Detailed reading fragment: v. break into parts or small pieces Pronunciation: e.g. The satellite will fragment and burn up as it falls through the Earth’s atmosphere. The government is planning to fragment the industry before privatizing it. n. a small part of sth. that has broken off or comes from sth. larger e.g. Police found fragments of glass near the scene. I overheard a fragment of their conversation.

39. Detailed reading1– fragment 2 Detailed reading e.g. the fragmentation of the country into small independent states Derivations: fragmentation: n. e.g.a fragmented society fragmented: a.

40. Detailed reading1– alienate 1 Detailed reading alienate: v. cause sb. to feel very distant from or not welcome to sb. else e.g. She was alienated from her brother by her foolish behavior. All these changes to the newspaper have alienated its traditional readers.

41. Detailed reading1– alienate 2 Detailed reading e.g. In a world that had suddenly become alien and dangerous, he was her only security. (a.) aliens from outer space (n.) Derivations: alien: a. & n. e.g. The new policy resulted in the alienation of many voters. Many immigrants suffer from a sense of alienation. alienation: n.

42. Detailed reading1– addicted 1 Detailed reading addicted: a. being dependent on sth. and wanting to spend as much time doing it as possible e.g. Some youngsters are hopelessly addicted to video games. She’s become addicted to love stories. Collocation: be addicted to sth.

43. Detailed reading1– addicted 2 Detailed reading e.g.He is now fighting his addiction to alcohol. Derivations: addiction: n. e.g.Heroin is highly addictive. addictive: a.

44. Detailed reading1– alcoholic Detailed reading alcoholic: n. sb. who cannot stop drinking large amounts of alcohol, even when this is making him or her ill e.g.shopaholic; chocaholic; workaholic Word Formation: -aholic: suffix in nouns liking sth. very much and unable to stop doing or using it

45. Detailed reading1– in that Detailed reading in that: conj. (formal) for the reason that; because e.g. She was fortunate in that she had friends to help her. Men differ from brutes in that they can think and speak. The news was all the more reliable in that it was from an official source.

46. Detailed reading1– be given to Detailed reading be given to: (formal) do sth. often or regularly e.g. He is given to heavy drinking. He is given to going for long walk on his own. Collocation: be given to sth. / doing sth.

47. Detailed reading1– exaggeration Detailed reading exaggeration: n. action of making a situation, quality, or feature appear greater, more obvious, or more important than it really is e.g. The hotel was really filthy and I’m not exaggerating. He tends to exaggerate the difficulties. Derivation: exaggerate: v. make sth. seem larger, better, worse or more important than it really is e.g.He told his story simply and without exaggeration.

48. Detailed reading1– binge Detailed reading binge: n. an occasion when an activity is done in an extreme way, esp. eating, drinking or spending money e.g. go on a binge / an Internet binge / a chocolate binge One of the symptoms of this disease is binge eating.

49. Detailed reading1– skew Detailed reading skew: v. cause to be not straight or exact; twist e.g. The company’s results for this year are skewed because not all our customers have paid their bills. Today’s election will skew the results in favour of the northern end of the country.

50. Detailed reading1– lament Detailed reading lament: v. express sadness and regret about sth. e.g. He lamented the death of his friend. She lamented that she had never been to Paris. e.g.She shows a lamentable lack of understanding. Derivation: lamentable: a. very disappointing

51. It strikes me that nobody is really in favor of the proposal. 我突然意识到没人真正喜欢这个提议。 Detailed reading1– it struck us that Detailed reading... it struck us that …:... it occurred to us that … /... we suddenly realized that … e.g. How does the concert last night strike you? He struck me as an odd, old-fashioned professor of Chinese. ___________ Blank filling:

52. He challenged his accusers to confront him openly. They lawyer confronted the accused man with the forged check. This was the first time he had confronted an armed robber. Detailed reading1– confront Detailed reading confront: v. deal with a problem or difficult situation e.g. She knew that she had to confront her fears. He manifested extraordinary courage when confronted with formidable difficulty. Synonym: face up to face sb. so that they cannot avoid seeing and hearing you, esp. in an unfriendly or dangerous situation e.g.

53. Detailed reading1– perceive 1 Detailed reading perceive: v. see, notice, or realize sth., esp. when it is not obvious e.g. I perceived a change in his behavior. She perceived that all was not well. The patient was perceived to have difficulty in breathing. e.g.It was very perceptive of you to notice that. Derivations: perception: n. perceptive: a. having or showing the ability to see or understand things quickly, esp. things that are not obvious

54. (1) The price increase has had no effect on sales. 价格增长对销售没有产生可见的影响。 (2) The drug can alter people’s of visual stimuli. 这种药物能够改变人的视觉刺激感知能力。 Detailed reading1– perceive 2 Detailed reading e.g.Her foreign accent was barely perceptible. Derivations: perceptible: a. great enough for you to notice it (Synonym: noticeable) perceptible__________ Blank filling: perception_________

55. Detailed reading1– converse Detailed reading converse: n. the opposite e.g. In the U.S., cars are driven on the right side of the road, but in Britain the converse applies. It is possible, of course, that the converse of this theory may also be true.

56. Detailed reading1– maximize Detailed reading maximize: v. increase sth. as much as possible e.g. maximize efficiency/fitness/profits [computing] Maximize the window to full screen. make the best use of sth. e.g. maximize opportunities/resources minimize Antonym:

57. Detailed reading1– value Detailed reading value: v. regard highly; esteem e.g. We value your cooperation and would like to expand business with you. I have always valued your friendship. Collocations: value sb./sth. (as sth.); value sb./sth. (for sth.) 他是我们队很看重的一个成员。 He is a member of our team. valued______ Blank filling:

58. Explanation: Note that the word “communication” is a mass noun. When used in the singular form it means the sharing or exchanging of information by speaking, writing, or by using some other medium. When used in the plural form, as in this sentence, it refers to the means of connection between people or places, in Detailed reading1– it is the communications modal … Detailed reading … it is the communications modal equivalent of international waters. Paraphrase: … as a mode of communications, the Internet is similar to international waters which are open to all countries to use.

59. Detailed reading1– it is the communications modal … Detailed reading particular the means of sending or receiving information, such as telephone lines or computers. It may also refer to means of travelling or of transporting goods, such as roads or railways. Hence cross-cultural communication ( 跨文化交际 ), Ministry of Communications ( 交通部 ), satellite communications ( 卫星通讯 ), communications network ( 通讯网络 ).

60. Detailed reading1– he felt like an alcoholic… Detailed reading … he felt like an alcoholic, in that moderate use of the Internet was just not possible for him. Paraphrase: … he felt like a person who is given to excessive consumption of alcoholic as a limited use of the Internet would make him extremely unhappy.

61. Detailed reading1– Progress was their mantra… Detailed reading “Progress” was their mantra. Paraphrase: “Progress” was their oft-repeated and most cherished goal.

62. Detailed reading1– Depending upon how … Detailed reading Depending upon how a “real place” is defined it might very well be. Paraphrase: According to the definition of a “real place”, the Internet could most reasonably be considered to be a “real place”.

63. Detailed reading1– This would allow … Detailed reading This would allow us to maximize its potential … Paraphrase: Achieving balance in our lives would allow us to make the fullest use of the Internet...

64. Detailed reading1– where the cyber-world … Detailed reading … where the cyber-world is your cyber-oyster. Paraphrase: … where cyber-space is the very thing that gives you immediate gratification. e.g. You have passed the first hurdle, and now the world is your oyster. Explanation: oyster ( 牡蛎 ): a type of shellfish that can be eaten cooked or uncooked, and that produces a jewel called a pearl. The sentence here is a variation of the saying “The world is your oyster,” which means “You can achieve whatever you want.”

65. Consolidation Activities- Vocabulary main Word derivation Phrase practice Synonym / Antonym VocabularyTranslationIntegrated skillsOral activitiesWritingGrammar

66. Consolidation Activities- Phrase practice 1 1) alienation n. → alienate v. VocabularyTranslationIntegrated skillsOral activitiesWritingGrammar The boring and repetitive nature of manufacturing jobs has led to the alienation of many workers. 制造业的工作又枯燥又单调，使许多工人产生了一种疏离 感。 By adopting this policy, they risk alienating many of their supporters. 他们采取这个政策，就要冒同许多支持者疏远的风险。 e.g.

67. Consolidation Activities- Phrase practice 2 VocabularyTranslationIntegrated skillsOral activitiesWritingGrammar 2) globe n. → global a. → globalize v. → globalization n. The beautiful city attracts tourists from every corner of the globe every year. 这个美丽的城市每年都吸引着全球各地的游客。 Environmental protection is a global issue. 环境保护是个全球问题。 The company has successfully globalized its business. 公司已经成功地将业务推向了全球。 e.g.

68. Consolidation Activities- Phrase practice 2 VocabularyTranslationIntegrated skillsOral activitiesWritingGrammar China has been experiencing rapid changes during the process of globalization. 中国在全球化的进程中经历着快速变化。 e.g.

69. Consolidation Activities- Phrase practice 3 VocabularyTranslationIntegrated skillsOral activitiesWritingGrammar 3) fragmentation n. → fragment n. & v. → fragmented a. The country was facing the danger of fragmentation into several small independent states. 国家正面临分裂成几个独立小国的危险。 There is not even the smallest fragment of truth in what he says! (n.) 他说的没有一点是真话！ A difference of interests between manufacturing and finance capital may fragment the bourgeoisie. (v.) 生产资本和金融资本的兴趣不同可能会分裂资产阶级。 e.g.

70. Consolidation Activities- Phrase practice 2 VocabularyTranslationIntegrated skillsOral activitiesWritingGrammar These policies will help to rebuild a fragmented community and create an environment suitable for children to grow up in. 这些措施将有助于重建分裂的社区并创造适宜孩子成长的 环境。 e.g.

71. Consolidation Activities- Phrase practice 4 VocabularyTranslationIntegrated skillsOral activitiesWritingGrammar 4) addiction n. → addict n. → addicted a. There is a growing problem of heroin addiction among young people. 年轻人吸食海洛因成瘾这一问题日益严重。 He became an incurable computer game addict. 他变成了一个不可救药的电脑游戏瘾君子。 It doesn’t take long to become addicted to these drugs. 服用这些毒品不长时间就会上瘾。 e.g.

72. Consolidation Activities- Phrase practice 5 VocabularyTranslationIntegrated skillsOral activitiesWritingGrammar 5) exaggeration n. → exaggerate v. → exaggerated a. It’s no exaggeration to say that most students have never read a complete Shakespeare play. 说大多数学生从来没有读过一部完整的莎士比亚戏剧，这 毫不夸张。 The press has deliberately exaggerated the seriousness of the situation. 媒体刻意夸大了形势的严重性。 He tends to make greatly exaggerated claims. 他倾向于作夸大其辞的断言。 e.g.

73. Consolidation Activities- Phrase practice 6 VocabularyTranslationIntegrated skillsOral activitiesWritingGrammar 6) depress v. → depressing a. → depressed a. → depression n. The thought of having to take the exam again depressed me. 想到还须重新考试，我就感到很郁闷。 Looking for a job these days can be very depressing. 这年头，找工作会令人很沮丧。 e.g.

74. Consolidation Activities- Phrase practice 2 VocabularyTranslationIntegrated skillsOral activitiesWritingGrammar The country was still in the grip of economic depression. 国家依然深陷经济萧条不能自拔。 I feel very depressed in such kind of weather. 我在这种天气里总是感到精神抑郁。 e.g.

75. Consolidation Activities- Phrase practice 7 VocabularyTranslationIntegrated skillsOral activitiesWritingGrammar 7) simulation n. → simulate v. → simulated a. People can see clearly what happens in the computer simulation of nuclear explosion. 在电脑模拟的核爆炸中，人们可以清楚地看到爆炸发生的 情形。 In the dubbing process, a sheet of metal was shaken to simulate the noise of thunder. 在配音过程中，人们抖动金属片来模仿雷声。 He is addicted to simulated war games. 他迷恋模拟战争游戏。 e.g.

76. 8) gratification n. → gratify v. → gratitude n. His family’s success was a great gratification to him in his old age. 家庭的成功是他晚年十分满意的事。 It gratified me to see how much my wedding present was appreciated. 看到我的结婚礼物倍受赞赏，我感到很高兴。 She showed me her gratitude by inviting me to dinner. 她请我吃饭以表谢意。 Consolidation Activities- Phrase practice 8 VocabularyTranslationIntegrated skillsOral activitiesWritingGrammar e.g.

77. 3) He said it, not in jest. Consolidation Activities- Word derivation 1.1 VocabularyTranslationIntegrated skillsOral activitiesWritingGrammar 1) John’s mind is always full of fantasies. He dreams of changing the world. for the better _______________ 2) In order to gain the utmost amount of benefit, this corporation the exceptional opportunities open in exports. took advantage of ____________________ in earnest ___________ Fill in the blank in each sentence with a phrase from the text in its appropriate form.

78. Consolidation Activities- Word derivation 1.1 VocabularyTranslationIntegrated skillsOral activitiesWritingGrammar 4) According to the Federal Bureau of Investigation, a man seen hanging around the area the shooting could have been involved in the assassination of the President. prior to _________ 5) An opposition statesman said he hoped the agreement them about the futility of violence. would givepause to think ____________________________

79. Consolidation Activities- Word derivation 1.3 VocabularyTranslationIntegrated skillsOral activitiesWritingGrammar (change) for the better: improve1. e.g. 我的商店经营状况有所好转，今年有望盈利。 Things are changing for the better at my store. I may make a profit this year.

80. Consolidation Activities- Word derivation 1.4 VocabularyTranslationIntegrated skillsOral activitiesWritingGrammar take advantage of: make use of sth. well; make use of an opportunity 2. e.g. 她利用孩子们不在的时间打扫了他们的房间。 She took advantage of the children’s absence to tidy their rooms.

81. Consolidation Activities- Word derivation 1.5 VocabularyTranslationIntegrated skillsOral activitiesWritingGrammar in earnest: very serious and sincere about what you are saying and about your intentions; in a way that shows that you are serious 3. e.g. 我相信他说想娶她是真心实意的。 I am sure he was in earnest when he said he wanted to marry her.

82. Consolidation Activities- Word derivation 1.6 VocabularyTranslationIntegrated skillsOral activitiesWritingGrammar prior to: (formal) before sth. 4. e.g. 全部安排都应在我们出发之前完成。 All the arrangements should have been completed prior to our departure.

83. Consolidation Activities- Word derivation 1.6 VocabularyTranslationIntegrated skillsOral activitiesWritingGrammar give... pause to think: make sb. think seriously about sth. or hesitate before doing sth. 5. e.g. 一系列事故的发生使得政府停下来考虑交通安全问题。 The series of accidents gave the government pause to think about the traffic safety issue.

84. alienate, isolate, estrange Consolidation Activities- Synonym / Antonym1 1. However I am also troubled by the possible unintended negative consequences. Antonyms:intended, purposeful, intentional, planned 2. Automobile ownership became commonplace and suburbs were created. Synonyms: VocabularyTranslationIntegrated skillsOral activitiesWritingGrammar Antonyms:extraordinary, unusual 3. Those folks were already becoming distanced from their extended families and neighbors.

85. 4. These activities might foster a sense of community among the local people. cultivate, nurture 5. He said that he felt like an alcoholic in that moderate use of the Internet was just not possible for him. considerable, excessive, indulgent 6. It seems to me that the Internet is a powerful tool that presents an opportunity for the advancement of the acquisition and application of knowledge. improvement, enhancement Consolidation Activities- Synonym / Antonym2 Synonyms: VocabularyTranslationIntegrated skillsOral activitiesWritingGrammar Antonyms: Synonyms:

86. Consolidation Activities- Synonym / Antonym3 VocabularyTranslationIntegrated skillsOral activitiesWritingGrammar 7. And I can also understand how one might have his or her sense of reality distorted in the progress. Synonyms:misrepresent, falsify 8. We are forced to ask fundamental questions about how we perceive the world about us. Antonyms:unimportant, trivial, minor

87. Consolidation Activities- Grammar main VocabularyGrammarTranslationIntegrated skillsOral activitiesWriting Absolute construction To: preposition or infinitive marker Inversion

88. Consolidation Activities- Grammar1.1 Absolute construction VocabularyGrammarTranslationIntegrated skillsOral activitiesWriting Absolute constructions are nonfinite or verbless adverbial clauses that have an overt subject but are not introduced by a subordinator and are not the complement of a preposition. Structurally, absolute constructions fall into four types: those with an infinite as verb element, those with an -ing participle as verb element, those with an -ed participle as verb element, and those without any form of verb element.

89. A number of officials followed the emperor, some to hold his robe, others to adjust his girdle, and so on. (infinite) Weather permitting, the cricket match will take place on Wednesday. (-ing participle) All of this being said, I believe that the key to realizing the potential of the Internet is in achieving balance in our lives. (-ing participle) His voice drowned by the noise, the speaker interrupted his lecture. (-ed participle) He went off, gun in hand. (prepositional phrase) The floor wet and slippery, we stayed outside. (adjectival phrase) For example: Consolidation Activities- Grammar1.2 VocabularyGrammarTranslationIntegrated skillsOral activitiesWriting

90. 1. a. Mark went homeward alone. b. His heart was full of a strange emotion. Consolidation Activities- Grammar1.3 Combine the sentences in each group into one, using at least one absolute construction. VocabularyTranslationIntegrated skillsOral activitiesWritingGrammar Mark went homeward alone, his heart full of a strange emotion. Practice:

91. Consolidation Activities- Grammar1.4 VocabularyTranslationIntegrated skillsOral activitiesWritingGrammar 2. a. The cowboy dominates the pages of many magazines. b. His hair is dark and curly. c. His broad shoulders are sloping yet powerful. d. His expression is calm and confident. The cowboy dominates the pages of many magazines, his hair dark and curly, his broad shoulders sloping yet powerful and his expression calm and confident.

92. Consolidation Activities- Grammar1.4 VocabularyTranslationIntegrated skillsOral activitiesWritingGrammar 3. a. The professor rested against the blackboard. b. Chalk was held in one hand. c. The textbook was held in the other hand. The professor rested against the blackboard, chalk in one hand, textbook in the other.

93. Consolidation Activities- Grammar1.4 VocabularyTranslationIntegrated skillsOral activitiesWritingGrammar 4. a. Sarah sank in the nearest chair. b. She was completely exhausted. c. Her limbs were stiff with cold. d. Her mind was a piece of blank. Sarah sank in the nearest chair, completely exhausted, her limbs stiff with cold, and her mind a piece of blank.

94. This guy is not given to exaggeration. (to as a preposition) The key to realizing the potential of the Internet is in achieving balance in our lives. (to as a preposition) I used to get up early in the morning. (to as an infinitive marker) I am used to getting up early in the morning. (to as a preposition) To: preposition or infinitive marker Apart from being an infinitive marker, to can also be a preposition, which is followed by a noun or a noun equivalent. Consolidation Activities- Grammar2.1 VocabularyTranslationIntegrated skillsOral activitiesWritingGrammar VocabularyTranslationIntegrated skillsOral activitiesWritingGrammar For example:

95. Consolidation Activities- Grammar2.2 VocabularyTranslationIntegrated skillsOral activitiesWritingGrammar For example: He swore to having paid for the goods (= he swore he had paid). (to as a preposition) He swore to tell the truth (= he swore he would tell the truth). (to as an infinitive marker)

96. Put the verbs in brackets into a gerund or an infinitive. 1. I object to (be treated) like a child. 2. His suggestions went very near to (resolve) our dilemma. 3. He bought the old house with an eye to (make) it a hotel. 4. I’m so tired I don’t think I feel up to (go) shopping today. 5. The teacher wishes to (speak) to you in regard to (be) late. being treated _______________ resolving __________ making ________ going ______ speak ______ being ______ Consolidation Activities- Grammar2.3 VocabularyTranslationIntegrated skillsOral activitiesWritingGrammar Practice:

97. 6. I have a few letters to (write) preparatory to (begin) the day’s work. Consolidation Activities- Grammar2.4 VocabularyTranslationIntegrated skillsOral activitiesWritingGrammar write ______ beginning ___________

98. Inversion When we use negative adverbials at the beginning of a clause, the subject and the verb are inverted. Inversion can also occur after a clause beginning with only + adverb / prepositional phrase / adverbial clause. Consolidation Activities- Grammar2.1 VocabularyTranslationIntegrated skillsOral activitiesWritingGrammar VocabularyTranslationIntegrated skillsOral activitiesWritingGrammar For example: Never had I found him in such a good mood. Only through sheer luck did he manage to get some tickets. So quickly did the workmen finish the job that they were highly praised.

99. Consolidation Activities- Grammar2.2 VocabularyTranslationIntegrated skillsOral activitiesWritingGrammar Rewrite the following sentences, beginning with the words given. 1. He had hardly arrived when she started complaining. Hardly 2. Once Manton gets logged onto the Net, he rarely cares about anything else. Rarely had he arrived when she started complaining. __________________________________________________ does Manton care about anything else once he gets logged onto the Net. Practice: ___________________________________________________ ___________________________

100. Consolidation Activities- Grammar2.3 VocabularyTranslationIntegrated skillsOral activitiesWritingGrammar 3. The passengers are not permitted to open the doors themselves under any circumstances. Under no circumstances 4. He spoke so impressively that everyone listened in awed silence. So are the passengers permitted to open the doors themselves. impressively did he speak that everyone listened in awed silence. _____________________________________________________ __________________ _________________________________ __________________________________

101. Consolidation Activities- Grammar2.4 VocabularyTranslationIntegrated skillsOral activitiesWritingGrammar 5. I only realized what trouble he was in when I heard his voice trembling. Only when I heard his voice trembling did I realize what trouble he was in. ___________________________________________________ ___________________________

102. Consolidation Activities- Translation1 1. 在日本人生产的一种电子游戏中，玩游戏的人可以模拟 艾滋病患者从染上艾滋病毒直到死亡的经历。 (simulate) In a Japanese-made video game, players can simulate the experience of AIDS from HIV infection until death. VocabularyGrammarTranslationIntegrated skillsOral activitiesWriting If you simulate sth., you give the effect or appearance of it and imitate it. Translate the following sentences into English.

103. Consolidation Activities- Translation2 VocabularyTranslationIntegrated skillsOral activitiesWritingGrammar Practice ： 电脑软件可以被用来模拟海底的状况。 这些鞋子是用仿制皮革制成的。 Computer software can be used to simulate conditions on the seabed. These shoes are made of simulated leather.

104. Consolidation Activities- Translation3 2. 我们只能以牺牲质量为代价来提高产量，但这可能会损 害公司的声誉。 (at the expense of) VocabularyTranslationIntegrated skillsOral activitiesWritingGrammar We can only increase production at the expense of quality, which could ruin the company’s reputation. If you do one thing at the expense of another, you sacrifice the latter, or do the former at the cost of the latter.

105. Consolidation Activities- Translation4 Practice ： 他以自己的健康为代价来完成这项工作。 VocabularyTranslationIntegrated skillsOral activitiesWritingGrammar He finished the job at the expense of his health.

106. Consolidation Activities- Translation5 3. 她难得生气，不过这次她可真的是发脾气了。 (be given to) VocabularyTranslationIntegrated skillsOral activitiesWritingGrammar She is not often given to anger, but this time she really lost her temper. If you are given to sth., you do it often or regularly.

107. Consolidation Activities- Translation6 Practice ： 她有消沉的倾向。 他是个不错的家伙，就是常常说傻话。 VocabularyTranslationIntegrated skillsOral activitiesWritingGrammar She is given to depression. He is a nice guy, but rather given to making stupid remarks.

108. Consolidation Activities- Translation7 4. 一名外语教师如果要在中学任教，他最起码要持有正规 教育院校颁发的学位证书。 (at the very least) VocabularyTranslationIntegrated skillsOral activitiesWritingGrammar A teacher of foreign language should possess at the very least a graduate degree from a certified education school or institute if he is to teach high school. When something is “at the very least”, it is no less than …

109. Consolidation Activities- Translation8 VocabularyTranslationIntegrated skillsOral activitiesWritingGrammar Practice ： 这个项目至少要花一年的时间。 如果你想在某一公司工作，至少你要表现出对所申请工作 的兴趣。 This project will take a year, at the very least. If you are hoping to work in a company, at the very least you need to exhibit a positive interest in the job on offer.

110. Consolidation Activities- Translation7 5. 我很快觉察到我无法使他改变想法。 (perceive) VocabularyTranslationIntegrated skillsOral activitiesWritingGrammar I soon perceived that I couldn’t make him change his mind. If you perceive sth., you see, notice, or realize sth., esp. when it is not obvious.

111. Consolidation Activities- Translation8 VocabularyTranslationIntegrated skillsOral activitiesWritingGrammar Practice ： 我们看不出问题出在何处。 他们发觉自己不受欢迎便走了。 We were unable to perceive where the problem lay. They perceived that they were unwelcome and left.

112. Consolidation Activities- Integrated skills VocabularyTranslationIntegrated skillsOral activitiesWritingGrammar Dictation Cloze

113. Consolidation Activities- Integrated skills1 VocabularyTranslationIntegrated skillsOral activitiesWritingGrammar Dictation You will hear a passage read three times. At the first reading, you should listen carefully for its general idea. At the second reading, you are required to write down the exact words you have just heard (with proper punctuation). At the third reading, you should check what you have written down.

114. Consolidation Activities- Integrated skills2 VocabularyTranslationIntegrated skillsOral activitiesWritingGrammar The Internet undoubtedly enriches our lives in many ways. / The instant reach of the email / makes keeping- in-touch so rewarding / and so excuse-proof. / The access to so much information by our fingertips / certainly makes a tremendous difference. / But do all these new platforms / of carrying on existing activities / contribute to the making of the new opportunities / created by the coming of electricity and telephone, / and steam locomotives and airplanes? / Do they really boost our productivity / and create new wealth? / Are Dictation

115. Consolidation Activities- Integrated skills3 VocabularyTranslationIntegrated skillsOral activitiesWritingGrammar we simply using a new platform in the Internet / to do things we have been doing without it? / If so, we don’t really need Internet companies to do them for us. / Perhaps, the leaders of the Internet revolution / can’t easily reconcile with their fate of becoming dispensable. / It certainly will take a lot of independent thinking on our own part / to get over the Internet-is-the-world mood.

116. Consolidation Activities- Integrated skills4 Cloze Since the 1960s, when the Internet was developed by the Pentagon (1) a military network capable (2) surviving nuclear war, the technology and number of users have grown at an unthinkable (3). This explosion has brought (4) it all sorts of moral and practical questions including the censorship by the state. We censor all of our media (5) the interests of society as a whole, and the Internet is no different. VocabularyTranslationIntegrated skillsOral activitiesWritingGrammar as ___ of ___ rate _____ with ______ in ___

117. Consolidation Activities- Integrated skills5 Freedom of speech is not an absolute thing (6) a right that our society gives us; when, however, freedom of speech conflicts with another individual’s right (7) privacy, quality of life (8) even life itself, censorship is not only justified but a duty of (9) society. Racist and terrorist propaganda and hardcore pornography on the Internet should be censored. The landmark Communications and Decency Act (CDA) was passed in 1996 in the U.S. to tackle this (10). VocabularyTranslationIntegrated skillsOral activitiesWritingGrammar but _____ to ___ or ___ any _____ problem _________

118. Since the 1960s, when the Internet was developed by the Pentagon (1) a military network capable (2) surviving nuclear war, the technology and number of users have grown at an unthinkable (3). This explosion has brought (4) it all sorts of moral and practical questions including the censorship by the state. We censor all of our media (5) the interests of society as a whole, and the Internet is no different. as ___ of ___ rate _____ with ______ in ___ Consolidation Activities- Hints1 The sentence lacks a preposition, and “to develop A as B” which means “to develop A when considered as being B” fits into the context. VocabularyTranslationIntegrated skillsOral activitiesWritingGrammar

119. Consolidation Activities- Hints2 VocabularyTranslationIntegrated skillsOral activitiesWritingGrammar A preposition is needed to link the adjective “capable” with the following gerund, and “be capable of” is a fixed collocation. Since the 1960s, when the Internet was developed by the Pentagon (1) a military network capable (2) surviving nuclear war, the technology and number of users have grown at an unthinkable (3). This explosion has brought (4) it all sorts of moral and practical questions including the censorship by the state. We censor all of our media (5) the interests of society as a whole, and the Internet is no different. as ___ of ___ rate _____ with ______ in ___

120. Consolidation Activities- Hints3 VocabularyTranslationIntegrated skillsOral activitiesWritingGrammar It can be inferred from the context that it talks about the speed of growth, thus “at a … rate”. Since the 1960s, when the Internet was developed by the Pentagon (1) a military network capable (2) surviving nuclear war, the technology and number of users have grown at an unthinkable (3). This explosion has brought (4) it all sorts of moral and practical questions including the censorship by the state. We censor all of our media (5) the interests of society as a whole, and the Internet is no different. as ___ of ___ rate _____ with ______ in ___

121. Consolidation Activities- Hints4 VocabularyTranslationIntegrated skillsOral activitiesWritingGrammar It reads that the explosion has brought various problems “with” it, and the preposition “with” suffices. Since the 1960s, when the Internet was developed by the Pentagon (1) a military network capable (2) surviving nuclear war, the technology and number of users have grown at an unthinkable (3). This explosion has brought (4) it all sorts of moral and practical questions including the censorship by the state. We censor all of our media (5) the interests of society as a whole, and the Internet is no different. as ___ of ___ rate _____ with ______ in ___

122. Consolidation Activities- Hints5 VocabularyTranslationIntegrated skillsOral activitiesWritingGrammar “Interest” here means “a good result or an advantage for sb./sth.”, and the fixed phrase “in the interests of sb./sth.” naturally fits into the context. Since the 1960s, when the Internet was developed by the Pentagon (1) a military network capable (2) surviving nuclear war, the technology and number of users have grown at an unthinkable (3). This explosion has brought (4) it all sorts of moral and practical questions including the censorship by the state. We censor all of our media (5) the interests of society as a whole, and the Internet is no different. as ___ of ___ rate _____ with ______ in ___

123. Freedom of speech is not an absolute thing (6) a right that our society gives us; when, however, freedom of speech conflicts with another individual’s right (7) privacy, quality of life (8) even life itself, censorship is not only justified but a duty of (9) society. Racist and terrorist propaganda and hardcore pornography on the Internet should be censored. The landmark Communications and Decency Act (CDA) was passed in 1996 in the U.S. to tackle this (10). but _____ to ___ or ___ any _____ problem _________ Consolidation Activities- Hints6 VocabularyTranslationIntegrated skillsOral activitiesWritingGrammar Judging from the context, “freedom of speech” is a right our society gives us, and the sentence should be a contrastive expression between the negation in the first part and the second part; thus, “not … but …” is naturally expected.

124. Freedom of speech is not an absolute thing (6) a right that our society gives us; when, however, freedom of speech conflicts with another individual’s right (7) privacy, quality of life (8) even life itself, censorship is not only justified but a duty of (9) society. Racist and terrorist propaganda and hardcore pornography on the Internet should be censored. The landmark Communications and Decency Act (CDA) was passed in 1996 in the U.S. to tackle this (10). but _____ to ___ or ___ any _____ problem _________ Consolidation Activities- Hints7 VocabularyTranslationIntegrated skillsOral activitiesWritingGrammar Again, a preposition is missing between the noun “right” and the following nouns, while “to” habitually follows “right” to construct the phrase “right to sth. / to do sth.”, meaning “a moral or legal claim to have or get sth. or to behave in a particular way”.

125. Freedom of speech is not an absolute thing (6) a right that our society gives us; when, however, freedom of speech conflicts with another individual’s right (7) privacy, quality of life (8) even life itself, censorship is not only justified but a duty of (9) society. Racist and terrorist propaganda and hardcore pornography on the Internet should be censored. The landmark Communications and Decency Act (CDA) was passed in 1996 in the U.S. to tackle this (10). but _____ to ___ or ___ any _____ problem _________ Consolidation Activities- Hints8 VocabularyTranslationIntegrated skillsOral activitiesWritingGrammar “Privacy, quality of life”, and “life itself” construct a coordinate structure, and a coordinator, implying alternation, is needed, thus “or”.

126. Freedom of speech is not an absolute thing (6) a right that our society gives us; when, however, freedom of speech conflicts with another individual’s right (7) privacy, quality of life (8) even life itself, censorship is not only justified but a duty of (9) society. Racist and terrorist propaganda and hardcore pornography on the Internet should be censored. The landmark Communications and Decency Act (CDA) was passed in 1996 in the U.S. to tackle this (10). but _____ to ___ or ___ any _____ problem _________ Consolidation Activities- Hints9 VocabularyTranslationIntegrated skillsOral activitiesWritingGrammar Judging from the context, the sentence means that censorship is a duty in all societies. As “society” appears as a singular, a determiner meaning any one of all is needed. Here, “any” is used with singular countable nouns to refer to one of a number of things or people, when it does not matter which one, and is used here for emphasis.

127. Freedom of speech is not an absolute thing (6) a right that our society gives us; when, however, freedom of speech conflicts with another individual’s right (7) privacy, quality of life (8) even life itself, censorship is not only justified but a duty of (9) society. Racist and terrorist propaganda and hardcore pornography on the Internet should be censored. The landmark Communications and Decency Act (CDA) was passed in 1996 in the U.S. to tackle this (10). but _____ to ___ or ___ any _____ problem _________ Consolidation Activities- Hints10 VocabularyTranslationIntegrated skillsOral activitiesWritingGrammar A noun referring to the problem of censorship is missing here, while “ to tackle a problem” comes out naturally.

128. Consolidation Activities- Oral activities VocabularyTranslationIntegrated skillsOral activitiesWritingGrammar Having a dialogue Having a discussion

129. Consolidation Activities- Oral activities1 Having a dialogue VocabularyTranslationIntegrated skillsOral activitiesWritingGrammar surf the web, addict, alcoholic, non-stop, moderate, binge, skew the sense of reality, depress, cognitive overload, virtual existence, perceive, unreal, harmful Words and phrases for reference: Topic: Suppose your desk-mate, has recently become addicted to the Internet, which makes him/her often absent from class and fallen behind in his/her studies. Try to persuade him/her out of this habit.

130. Consolidation Activities- Having a discussion2 Having a discussion Do the advantages of the Internet outweigh its disadvantages? Viewpoints for reference: VocabularyTranslationIntegrated skillsOral activitiesWritingGrammar ease of gathering and sharing information; speed up communication while reducing the costs; SOHO; facilitate business transactions; improve the public supervision over governmental issues and foster justice Advantages:

131. Consolidation Activities- Having a discussion3 VocabularyGrammarTranslationIntegrated skillsOral activitiesWriting spread of unhealthy information, e.g. violence, pornography, rumor; endanger personal privacy; risk of online crime; highly addictive; skew the sense of reality; reduce the sense of community and give rise to alienation Disadvantages:

132. Consolidation Activities- Writing main VocabularyTranslationIntegrated skillsOral activitiesWritingGrammar Suggestion: Write a problem-solving essay. The problem needs to be presented and explained clearly (e.g. the first paragraph), and necessary evidence is required to back up your description (e.g. the second paragraph), and finally, suggestions on the solution should be proposed (e.g. the last paragraph).

133. Consolidation Activities- Writing1 VocabularyTranslationIntegrated skillsOral activitiesWritingGrammar Practice: Write a three-paragraph essay on the given topic: “The Disadvantages of TV” In the first paragraph, tell the reader about the problem caused by the extensive use of the TV. In the second paragraph, provide evidence to prove that the problem is serious. And in the third paragraph, make suggestions on how to solve this problem.

134. Section Five Further Enhancement Text IIMemorable quotes Lead-in questions Text Questions for discussion

135. Lead-in questions 1) Have you heard of the company American Online (AOL)? 2) What do you think will make an Internet-related business successful? Lead-in questions Text IIMemorable quotes

136. AMERICA ONLINE: LOSING THE BATTLES, BUT WINNING THE WAR For the better part of 15 years, America Online (AOL) CEO and founder Steve Case has nurtured a vision. Back in the days when modems creaked along 300 bits a second, when it took half an hour to download a small black-and- white photo, Case imagined a world where ordinary folk, like the ones he grew up with in Hawaii, would find real utility in connected computers. However, back then almost everyone considered Case’s vision a perfectly ridiculous idea ― except Case, of course. Text1 Text IIMemorable quotes Michael H. Mescon et al. 1

137. Text2 Text IIMemorable quotes In 1985 he founded a company that eventually became America Online, and he has just jousted with the doubters ever since. Today, AOL connects millions of users to the Internet for a fee. The company categorizes Web sites and Internet information into Web channels (similar to special TV stations) for travel, shopping, games, personal finance, and so on. By putting a frame around the Internet and world of information, AOL makes surfing the Net really, really easy, besides being fun and affordable. But for Steve Case, living his dream has been anything but easy. 2

138. Text3 Text IIMemorable quotes It all started with a unique marketing approach ― blanketing the countryside with diskettes containing AOL software. At trade shows, on magazine covers, in mailers, even on airplanes ― you couldn’t miss the free AOL disks. One analyst called this “ marketing by carpet bombing.” Although it took the company five years to attract a million subscribers, it only took two more years to double that. That’s more than The New York Times and Washington Post have added during the last half-century. The Internet market changed overnight, and forever. Millions instantly recognized the value of getting online, and AOL was their first, best hope. 3

139. Text4 Text IIMemorable quotes But enticing people with freeware and then charging them higher-than-market rates to hook into the Internet — even if AOL made it user-friendly — meant users might try a different service. So in 1996 AOL made its prices more competitive, and that’s when the self-demolition derby began. First AOL changed its pricing structure to allow for unlimited access at a flat rate. Expecting 200,000 new customers, it attracted 500,000 — in one month! Even though it had added modems in anticipation of increased demand, the surge quickly ate up the additional capacity, forcing AOL’s already strained network to back up like a kitchen sink. Customers screamed. Frustrated users called 4

140. Text5 Text IIMemorable quotes the company America Onhold or America Offline — and for good reason. Attorney generals threatened to sue AOL for advertising a service it couldn’t deliver. And AOL — forced to suspend its TV pitch for new subscribers — cut back on direct marketing and pumped an additional $100 million into its ailing network. But the mess worsened. Case threw gasoline on the fire by publicly appealing to members to try to show some restraint during the peak evening hours. His appeal backfired. Skeptical users stayed on even longer, fearing that if they logged off, they wouldn’t be able to get back on. Wall Street analysts argued that this was the sort of 5

141. Text6 Text IIMemorable quotes problem that would drive AOL users into the arms of other Internet firms, and the company’s too-rich stock price collapsed — twice. Even though Case settled with the attorneys and state officials, it took him months to win back consumer confidence — not to mention a couple of hundred million dollars. “These guys flirted with disaster,” says one industry expert. “Fortunately, they were smart enough to pull it out.”

142. So how does AOL continue to do it? How does it continue to get new customers? “There’s a Silicon Valley syndrome that is out of touch with what customers want,” says Case. “Our market is everyone else.” And internal research suggests “everyone” could soon push AOL to 25 million members. Still, some wonder how AOL can compete with other Internet service providers. After all, people can access much of the same Internet information without having to go through a gatekeeper like AOL. With cheaper alternatives available, there’s a limit to how much AOL can charge customers for this hand-holding, which is why AOL is relying on advertising. Text7 Text IIMemorable quotes 6

143. Text8 Text IIMemorable quotes Case has decided that advertising revenue is the key to the online giant’s future financial health. He wants advertising to account for at least 25 percent of revenue — an ambitious but attainable goal. After all, with a viewership that’s now approaching that of ESPN, MTV, CNN, and a few others, if AOL fills that time with advertising, the power of the revenue generation machine is phenomenal. In addition to advertising, AOL is also banking on the growing business of selling products online and, of course, getting new subscribers. Firms such as 1- 800-Flowers and bookseller Barnes & Noble pay a hefty 7

144. Text9 Text IIMemorable quotes fee for a direct line to AOL’s growing audience. And AOL’s deal with WorldCom in which AOL swallowed CompuServe (the nation’s oldest online service) sent 2.6 million subscribers AOL’s way. In spite of this growth, the dirge goes on. First, critics point out that AOL has always been behind the technology curve. For instance, software for surfing the Web is revised about three times faster than AOL’s software, and this technology gap can only get worse. Plus, AOL has a high turnover of subscribers. That’s because for many, AOL serves as training wheels for the Net from which they eventually graduate. In fact, retaining customers will become even harder as phone companies, 8

145. Text10 Text IIMemorable quotes cable companies, Microsoft, and Netscape make it even easier to connect to the Internet, browse the Web, chat, and send e-mail without going through the suburban environment of AOL. In addition, customers could also be turned off by the increasingly intrusive ads, upon which AOL’s flat-price business model now depends. Yet, despite all these challenges and the predictions of doomsayers over the years, Case’s company has shown that it has at least the potential to thrive. The plain fact is that America Online has always been able to do what no one expects it to — survive.

146. Text2 – About the text Text IIMemorable quotes About the text — This text is taken from Business Today (1999) by Michael H. Mescon et al.

147. For the better part of 15 years (Paragraph 1) — For more than half of 15 years, i.e. about 10 years or more Text2 – For the better part of 15 years Text IIMemorable quotes

148. CEO (Paragraph 1) — chief executive officer Text3 – CEO Text IIMemorable quotes

149. Text4 – jousted with the doubters Text IIMemorable quotes jousted with the doubters (Paragraph 2) — compete with doubtful people for superiority

150. Text4– derby Text IIMemorable quotes derby (Paragraph 4) — race or contest

151. Text4– at a flat rate Text IIMemorable quotes at a flat rate (Paragraph 4) — at a fixed price

152. Text4– back up Text IIMemorable quotes back up (Paragraph 4) — jam

153. Text4– His appeal backfired Text IIMemorable quotes His appeal backfired. (Paragraph 5) — His appeal had the opposite result to what he had expected.

154. Text4– Silicon Valley Syndrome Text IIMemorable quotes Silicon Valley syndrome (Paragraph 6) — an inward- looking set of attitudes within the hi-tech sector

155. Text4– ESPN Text IIMemorable quotes ESPN (Paragraph 7) — an electronic commercial network with its major interest in sports

156. Text4– MTV Text IIMemorable quotes MTV (Paragraph 7) — music TV

157. Text4– CNN Text IIMemorable quotes CNN (Paragraph 7) — cable news network

158. Text4– phenomenal Text IIMemorable quotes phenomenal (Paragraph 7) — unusually good

159. Text4– 1-800-Flowers Text IIMemorable quotes 1-800-Flowers (Paragraph 7) — a major floral and gift retailer and distribution company in the U.S., and one of the first retailers to use a 24×7 toll-free telephone number and online media and the Internet for direct sales to consumers. The company specializes in retail sales of flowers and gift items within the U.S.

160. Text4– browse Text IIMemorable quotes browse (Paragraph 8) — look through in a casual way

161. Text4– blanketing the countryside Text IIMemorable quotes blanketing the countryside with diskettes containing AOL software (Paragraph 3) — covering the countryside completely in the free distribution of diskettes containing AOL’s software

162. Text4– marketing by carpet bombing Text IIMemorable quotes marketing by carpet bombing (Paragraph 3) — Carpet bombing is the act of dropping bombs in an area extensively so as to destroy it completely. Here the expression is used metaphorically to refer to AOL’s marketing strategy.

163. Text4– advertising revenue Text IIMemorable quotes advertising revenue (Paragraph 7) — income the company receives from advertising

164. Text4– the technology curve Text IIMemorable quotes the technology curve (Paragraph 8) — the developmental trend of technology

165. Text4– AOL has a high turnover of Text IIMemorable quotes AOL has a high turnover of subscribers. (Paragraph 8) — The rate is high at which old subscribers of AOL are replaced by new ones.

166. Text4– More about the author Text IIMemorable quotes About the author — The lead author, Michael H. Mescon, former dean of the J. Mack Robinson College of Business at Georgia State University, is the author or co-author of more than 300 articles and books. He is the lead author of Business Today, the most successful introductory business textbook in the U.S. Business Today, from which the text is taken, received the McGuffey Award for longevity and excellence from the Text and Academic Authors Association. He also wrote Showing Up for Work and Other Keys to Business Success, which earned him the Georgia Author of the Year Award from the Council of

167. Text4– More about the author Text IIMemorable quotes Authors and Journalists. He holds an honorary doctorate of humane letters from the College of Charleston and an honorary doctorate of private enterprise from The Citadel, where he also holds a visiting Chaired Professorship. Dr. Michael Mescon is active in community affairs and public service including serving on the boards of the Boys Scouts of America, ALS Association, Adaptive Learning Center, Northside Hospital and Heart Fund Chairperson Heart Association and so on.

168. Text4– About the text Text IIMemorable quotes About the text — Despite any disadvantages it may have, as discussed in Text I, the Internet undoubtedly contains unlimited business opportunities. This was recognized as early as the 1980s, when Internet firms mushroomed, and competition became fierce. So it was not easy for the firms to survive. In Text II, the authors described how America Online, an Internet firm, has managed to live through the intense competition.

169. Text4– About the text Text IIMemorable quotes We may divide the text into three parts. Part I includes the first two paragraphs, where the authors introduce their point, “for Steve Case, living his dream has been anything but easy.” In Part II (Paragraphs 3 — 7), Mescon et al. relate the efforts that America Online made in confronting one difficulty after another on its way to survival: how it attracted so many subscribers, how it dealt with the network jam, and what strategy it took to maintain its financial health. Part III, the last paragraph, concludes that despite all the challenges it is facing, America Online has the potential to thrive.

170. Because it was by no means easy to get a large number of subscribers, especially at the very beginning. AOL had to start with this unique marketing approach to make its product known to the general public. As a matter of fact, it took five years for this company to attract a million subscribers. He imagined a world in which computers would be connected so that they could work much faster and everybody could use them. Questions for discussion1 1. What vision did Case have? Text IIMemorable quotes 2. Why did AOL take the blanketing approach?

171. 3. What difficulties did AOL meet with? It did not expect the fast increase of subscribers and failed to satisfy the needs of its customers. As a result, it lost a lot of money and consumer confidence. Questions for discussion2 Text IIMemorable quotes 4. How did AOL survive the strong competition? It got a large amount of revenue from advertising on the Internet and selling products online.

172. 1. Information technology and business are becoming inextricably interwoven. I don’t think anybody can talk meaningfully about one without talking about the other. — Bill Gates Memorable Quotes1 Text IIMemorable quotes

173. Memorable Quotes2 Text IIMemorable quotes 2. I think it’s fair to say that personal computers have become the most empowering tool we’ve ever created. They’re tools of communication, they’re tools of creativity, and they can be shaped by their user. — Bill Gates

174. Memorable Quotes4 Text IIMemorable quotes Questions for discussion: 1) Share your opinions with your classmates about how computers have changed our way of life and how they will change our life in the future. 2) Give an example about the interweaving between information technology and business.

175. Memorable Quotes5 Text IIMemorable quotes Guidance: business life, information sharing, communication, entertainment, etc. Predictions about the future life are open to discussion. 1) Suggestion: on-line shopping, on-line advertisement, on-line banking, on-line business transactions, etc. 2) Suggestion:

176. William Henry “Bill” Gates III, (born October 28, 1955) is an American business magnate, philanthropist, author, and was chairman of Microsoft. He is consistently ranked among the world’s wealthiest people and was the wealthiest overall from 1995 to 2009, excluding 2008 and is one of the best-known entrepreneurs of the personal computer revolution. He has also authored or co-authored several books. Questions for discussion1 Text IIMemorable quotes

177. Notation type here