阅读理解 Clearly if we are to participate in the society in which we live we must communicate with other people. A great deal of communicating is performed on a person-to-person basis by the simple means of speech. If we travel in buses, buy things in shops, or eat in restaurants, we are likely to have conversations where we give information or opinions, receive news or comment, and very likely have our views challenged by other members of society. Face-to-face contact is by no means the only form of communication and during the last two hundred years the art of mass communication has become one of the dominating factors of contemporary society. Two things, above others, have caused the enormous growth of the communication industry. Firstly, inventiveness has led to advances in printing, telecommunications, photography, radio and television. Secondly, speed has revolutionized the transmission and reception of communications so that local news often takes a back seat to national news, which itself is often almost eclipsed by international news. No longer is the possession of information confined to a privileged minority. In the last century the wealthy man with his own library was indeed fortunate, but today there are public libraries. Forty years ago people used to flock to the cinema, but now far more people sit at home and turn on the TV to watch a programme that is being channeled into millions of homes. Communication is no longer merely concerned with the transmission of information. The modern communication industry influences the way people live in society and broadens their horizons by allowing access to information, education and entertainment. The printing, broadcasting and advertising industries are all involved with informing, educating and entertaining. Although a great deal of the material communicated by the mass media is very valuable to the individual and to the society of which he is a part, the vast modern network of communications is open to abuse. However, the mass media are with us for better, for worse, and there is no turning back.
单选题 In the first paragraph the writer emphasizes the_______of face-to-face contact in social settings.
【正确答案】 C
【答案解析】文章第一段的第一句话是主题句，说明只要我们身处社会就会与别人交流，后面又举例说明了交流的随处可见，也就是交流的有用性。nature“本质”；limitation“局限”；usefulness“有用”符合原文意思；creativity“创造力”。
单选题 It is implied in the passage that______.
【正确答案】 A
【答案解析】文中第二段最后提到speed has revolutionised the transmission…so that local news often takes a back seat...。其中revolutionised暗示在过去由于受到传播速度的限制，人们往往听不到全国新闻以及国际新闻。文中没有比较三种新闻的传播速度。
单选题 Which of the following statements is INCORRECT?
【正确答案】 B
【答案解析】首先要注意题干问的是incorrect。A)对应于文章第三段第一句No longer is the possession of information confined to a privileged minority.说明以前是“一种特权”；根据第三段第二句In the last century the wealthy man with his own library was indeed fortunate，but today there are public libraries.说明过去富有的人有自己的图书馆，但现在我们有了公共图书馆，这并不能说明二者是替换关系，所以B)为答案；C)对应于第四段第一句Communication is no longer merely concerned with the transmission of information.说明交流传播范围的扩大；D)对应于第四段第二句The modern communication industry influences the way people live and broadens their horizons...说明交流的影响。
单选题 From the last paragraph we can infer that the writer is______.
【正确答案】 D
【答案解析】文章末段提到发达的现代传媒很容易被滥用，以及不管大众媒体是好是坏，它总是伴随我们，而不可能走回头路。可见作者的态度是肯定了媒体的影响且要给予关注。