单选题 Internet piracy refers to the use of the Internet for illegally copying or distributing unauthorized software. In these cases the Internet is the medium for advertising, offering, acquiring, or distributing pirated software.
The Business Software Alliance, a software industry trade association, estimates that there are 840 000 Internet sites selling illegal software as genuine product. Many consumers who acquire software over the Internet never receive the programs they paid for. Others are not able to get their money back if they discover that the software they acquired is counterfeit. Disreputable Internet businesses often quickly vanish, leaving behind hundreds of dissatisfied consumers.
The ease of creating a Website and then advertising and distributing software through the Internet has increased sales of pirated software passed off by seemingly legitimate businesses. Plus, the explosive growth of e-commerce, combined with anonymity (匿名) and unlimited volume, have made it even easier for criminals to sell counterfeit (伪造的) software online.
Illegal online businesses often have professional-looking Internet sites that could fool ever. the smartest consumer. Distinguishing counterfeit software on the Internet is understandably difficult because consumers can't visually examine the product for physical warnings on the hardware, or see the person from whom they're buying.
Pirated software can often contain viruses with the potential to damage both individual computers or entire networks. Viruses can and do cause data loss, which would be devastating to most companies. When using unlicensed software, you are not eligible for technical support from the software publisher. If you have a technical issue in need of resolution, oftentimes a work-stopping issue, you are out of luck. In addition, product upgrades (升级)—less expensive upgrades of existing products—are not available to you.
Based on Business Software Alliance estimates, the current loss of jobs, wages, and critical investments in software and technology innovation worldwide due to piracy so far this year is estimated at: $11326675282.
"Software piracy continues unabated (不减弱的), robbing the industry of thousands of jobs, billions in wages, tax revenues and critical investments in new technologies, " according to Robert Holleyman, president and CEO, Business Software Alliance.
单选题 Internet piracy is defined as ______.
  • A. selling pirated books over the Internet
  • B. stealing information from other Websites
  • C. copying or selling unauthorized software over the Internet
  • D. advertising and selling counterfeit products over the Internet
【正确答案】 C
【答案解析】[解析] 细节题。根据文章开头，互联网上的盗版是指利用互联网非法复制或销售未经授权的软件。因此C是正确答案。
单选题 According to the passage, businesses selling counterfeit software online ______.
  • A. actually have good reputation
  • B. keep their promises to customers
  • C. deliver ordered products quickly
  • D. dissatisfy many customers
【正确答案】 D
【答案解析】[解析] 细节题。从第二段可知，许多消费者通过互联网购买软件，却始终收不到自己已付款的产品；有些消费者发现自己的购买的软件是盗版的时，得不到退款。因此可知，在网上销售这种盗版软件信誉是不好的，使许多消费者都不满意。故D符合这些意思，是本题正确答案。
单选题 Sales of pirated software over the Internet has been encouraged by all of the following EXCEPT ______.
  • A. the ease of creating a website
  • B. the ease of advertising and selling software through the Internet
  • C. the explosive growth of e-commerce
  • D. the abundance of professional-looking Internet sites
【正确答案】 D
【答案解析】[解析] 是非题。在第三段中讲到，创建网站、通过互联网宣传和销售软件都非常容易，使得一些看起来合法的企业的盗版软件销售额增加；电子商务的迅速增长及其匿名性和数量无限性，都使得网上盗版软件的销售更为容易。因此A、B、C都符合，只有D不对，是本题正确选项。
单选题 It is difficult for consumers to distinguish counterfeit software from genuine software on the Internet because ______.
  • A. it involves complex detecting technique
  • B. it requires a good knowledge about software
  • C. consumers can't visually examine the product
  • D. consumers don't understand the physical warnings on the hardware
【正确答案】 C
【答案解析】[解析] 细节题。根据第四段所讲，消费者很难区分软件的真假，因为他们不能直接当面检查产品，看不到产品硬件上的警告，也不能见到他们向其购买的那个人。因此C符合，是本题正确答案。
单选题 Which of the following harms of pirated software is NOT mentioned in the passage?
  • A. It often contains devastating viruses.
  • B. Buyers are not eligible for technological support from the software publisher.
  • C. It causes huge loses of tax revenues.
  • D. It may cause incompatibility (不兼容) between programs that normally function together.
【正确答案】 D
【答案解析】[解析] 是非题。在文章最后三段中，作者讲到盗版软件的危害：电脑病毒，得不到厂家的技术支持，升级困难，造成就业机会、工资、税收、世界软件和技术革新方面的重大投资等的巨大损失。但没有提到盗版软件的兼容性问题，所以D是本题正确选项。