Reading 4 "The Digital Divide"
The Challenge of Technology and Equity
Information technology is influencing the way many of us live and work today. We use the Intemet to look and apply for jobs, shop, conduct research, make airline reservations, and explore areas of interest. We use e-mail and the Internet to communicate instantaneously with friends and business associates around the world. Computers are commonplace in homes and the workplace.
→ Although the number of tnternet users is growing exponentially each year, most of the world's population does not have access to computers or the lnternet. Only 6 percent of the population in developing countries are connected to telephones. Although more than 94 percent of U.S. households have a telephone, only 42 percent have personal computers at home and 26 percent have Intemet access. The lack of what most of us would consider a basic communications necessity—the telephone—does not occur just in developing nations. On some Native American reservations only 60 percent of the residents have a telephone. The move to wireless connections may eliminate the need for telephone lines, but it does not remove the barrier to equipment costs.
→ Who has Internet access? Fifty percent of the children in urban households with an income over $75,000 have Internet access, compared with 2 percent of the children in low-income, rural households. Nearly half of college-educated people have Internet access, compared to 6 percent of those with only some high school education. Forty percent of households with two parents have access; 15 percent of female, single-parent households do. Thirty percent of white households, 11 percent of black households, and 13 percent of Hispanic households have access. Teens and children are the two fastest-growing segments of Internet users. The digital divide between the populations who have access to the Internet and information technology tools is based on income, race, education, household type, and geographic location. Only 16 percent of the rural poor, rural and central city minorities, young householders, and singleparent female households are connected.
→ Another problem that exacerbates these disparities is that African-Americans, Hispanics, and Native Americans hold few of the jobs in information technology. Women hold about 20 percent of these jobs and are receiving fewer than 30 percent of the computer science degrees. The result is that women and members of the most oppressed ethnic groups are not eligible for the jobs with the highest salaries at graduation. Baccalaureate candidates with degrees in computer science were offered the highest salaries of all new college graduates in 1998 at $44,949.
Do similar disparities exist in schools?
More than 90 percent of all schools in the country are wired with at least one Internet connection.
The number of classrooms with Internet connections differs by the income level of students. Using the percentage of students who are eligible for free lunches at a school to determine income level, we see that nearly twice as many of the schools with more affluent students have wired classrooms as those with high concentrations of low-income students.
→ Access to computers and the Internet will be important in reducing disparities between groups.
The Challenge of Technology and Equity
Information technology is influencing the way many of us live and work today. We use the Intemet to look and apply for jobs, shop, conduct research, make airline reservations, and explore areas of interest. We use e-mail and the Internet to communicate instantaneously with friends and business associates around the world. Computers are commonplace in homes and the workplace.
→ Although the number of tnternet users is growing exponentially each year, most of the world's population does not have access to computers or the lnternet. Only 6 percent of the population in developing countries are connected to telephones. Although more than 94 percent of U.S. households have a telephone, only 42 percent have personal computers at home and 26 percent have Intemet access. The lack of what most of us would consider a basic communications necessity—the telephone—does not occur just in developing nations. On some Native American reservations only 60 percent of the residents have a telephone. The move to wireless connections may eliminate the need for telephone lines, but it does not remove the barrier to equipment costs.
→ Who has Internet access? Fifty percent of the children in urban households with an income over $75,000 have Internet access, compared with 2 percent of the children in low-income, rural households. Nearly half of college-educated people have Internet access, compared to 6 percent of those with only some high school education. Forty percent of households with two parents have access; 15 percent of female, single-parent households do. Thirty percent of white households, 11 percent of black households, and 13 percent of Hispanic households have access. Teens and children are the two fastest-growing segments of Internet users. The digital divide between the populations who have access to the Internet and information technology tools is based on income, race, education, household type, and geographic location. Only 16 percent of the rural poor, rural and central city minorities, young householders, and singleparent female households are connected.
→ Another problem that exacerbates these disparities is that African-Americans, Hispanics, and Native Americans hold few of the jobs in information technology. Women hold about 20 percent of these jobs and are receiving fewer than 30 percent of the computer science degrees. The result is that women and members of the most oppressed ethnic groups are not eligible for the jobs with the highest salaries at graduation. Baccalaureate candidates with degrees in computer science were offered the highest salaries of all new college graduates in 1998 at $44,949.
Do similar disparities exist in schools?
More than 90 percent of all schools in the country are wired with at least one Internet connection.The number of classrooms with Internet connections differs by the income level of students. Using the percentage of students who are eligible for free lunches at a school to determine income level, we see that nearly twice as many of the schools with more affluent students have wired classrooms as those with high concentrations of low-income students. → Access to computers and the Internet will be important in reducing disparities between groups.
单选题
Why does the author mention the telephone in paragraph 2?
A. To demonstrate that even technology like the telephone is not available to all
B. To argue that basic telephone service is a first step to using the Internet
C. To contrast the absence of telephone usage with that of Internet usage
D. To describe the development of communications from telephone to Internet
A. To demonstrate that even technology like the telephone is not available to all
B. To argue that basic telephone service is a first step to using the Internet
C. To contrast the absence of telephone usage with that of Internet usage
D. To describe the development of communications from telephone to Internet
【正确答案】
A
【答案解析】The author mentions the telephone to demonstrate that even technology like the telephone is not available to all. "Only 6 percent of the population in developing countries are connected to telephones./
单选题
Which of the sentences below best expresses the information in the highlighted statement in the passage? The other choices change the meaning or leave out important information.
A. Most of the people in the world use the Internet now because the number of computers has been increasing every year.
B. The number of people who use computers and the Internet is increasing every year, but most people in the world still do not have connections.
C. The number of computers that can make the Internet available to most of the people in the world is not increasing fast enough.
D. The Internet is available to most of the people in the world, even though they don't have their own computer terminals.
A. Most of the people in the world use the Internet now because the number of computers has been increasing every year.
B. The number of people who use computers and the Internet is increasing every year, but most people in the world still do not have connections.
C. The number of computers that can make the Internet available to most of the people in the world is not increasing fast enough.
D. The Internet is available to most of the people in the world, even though they don't have their own computer terminals.
【正确答案】
B
【答案解析】The number of people who use computers and the Intemet is increasing paraphrases "the number of Internet users is growing" and most people in the world still do not have connections paraphrases "most of the world's population does not have access to computers or the Internet./
单选题
The word residents in the passage is closest in meaning to
A. homes
B. towns
C. people
D. locations
A. homes
B. towns
C. people
D. locations
【正确答案】
C
【答案解析】In this passage, people refers to "residents." Context comes from the previous reference to a place, "some Native American reservations," in the same sentence. Choices A, B, and D are not correct because they are not capable of being residents [living in a place].
单选题
The word eliminate in the passage is closest in meaning to
A. accept
B. dispute
C. define
D. remove
A. accept
B. dispute
C. define
D. remove
【正确答案】
D
【答案解析】In this passage, remove is a synonym for "eliminate." Context comes from the word "remove" later in the same sentence.
单选题
Based on information in paragraph 3, which of the following best explains the term "digital divide?"
A. The number of Internet users in developing nations
B. The disparity in the opportunity to use the Internet
C. Differences in socioeconomic levels among Internet users
D. Segments of the population with Internet access
A. The number of Internet users in developing nations
B. The disparity in the opportunity to use the Internet
C. Differences in socioeconomic levels among Internet users
D. Segments of the population with Internet access
【正确答案】
B
【答案解析】"The digital divide between the populations who have access to the Internet and information technology tools is based on income, race, education, household type, and geographic location." Choice A is not correct because the divide is not limited to developing nations. Choice C is not correct because socioeconomic level is only one of the factors. Choice D is not correct because the divide is between those with access and without access, not between different groups with access.
单选题
Why does the author give details about the percentages of Internet users in paragraph 3?
A. To prove that there are differences in opportunities among social groups
B. To argue for more Internet connections at all levels of society
C. To suggest that improvements in Internet access are beginning to take place
D. To explain why many people have Internet connections now
A. To prove that there are differences in opportunities among social groups
B. To argue for more Internet connections at all levels of society
C. To suggest that improvements in Internet access are beginning to take place
D. To explain why many people have Internet connections now
【正确答案】
A
【答案解析】The author gives details about the percentages of Internet users to prove that there are differences in opportunities among social groups. Choice B is not correct because the author is presenting facts and statistics, not a persuasive argument. Choice C is not correct because no improvements are mentioned. Choice D is not correct because no explanation is provided with the facts.
单选题
According to paragraph 3, which of the following households would be least likely to have access to the Internet?
A. A household with one parent
B. A black household
C. A Hispanic household
D. A household with both parents
A. A household with one parent
B. A black household
C. A Hispanic household
D. A household with both parents
【正确答案】
B
【答案解析】.. 11 percent of black households." Choice A is not correct because 15 percent of households with one parent have access. Choice C is not correct because 13 percent of Hispanic households have access. Choice D is not correct because 40 percent of households with two parents have access.
单选题
The word those in the passage refers to
A. classrooms
B. students
C. schools
D. concentrations
A. classrooms
B. students
C. schools
D. concentrations
【正确答案】
C
【答案解析】... twice as many of the schools with more affluent students have wired classrooms as those [schools] with high concentrations of low-income students." The pronoun "those" does not refer to Choices A, B, or D.
单选题
According to paragraph 4, why are fewer women and minorities employed in the field of computer technology?
A. They are not admitted to the degree programs.
B. They do not possess the educational qualifications.
C. They do not have an interest in technology.
D. They prefer training for jobs with higher salaries.
A. They are not admitted to the degree programs.
B. They do not possess the educational qualifications.
C. They do not have an interest in technology.
D. They prefer training for jobs with higher salaries.
【正确答案】
B
【答案解析】"Women... are receiving fewer than 30 percent of the computer science degrees. The result [of receiving fewer degrees] is that women and members of the most oppressed ethnic groups are not eligible for the jobs." Choice A is not correct because information about admission is not included in the passage. Choice C is not correct because we do not know whether they are interested. Choice D is not correct because the jobs with the highest salaries are in computer science.
单选题
The word concentrations in the passage is closest in meaning to
A. protections
B. numbers
C. confidence
D. support
A. protections
B. numbers
C. confidence
D. support
【正确答案】
B
【答案解析】In this passage, numbers is a synonym for "concentrations." Context comes from the references in previous sentences to "percentage" and "number./
单选题
What can be inferred from paragraph 6 about Internet access?
A. Better computers need to be designed.
B. Schools should provide newer computers for students.
C. The cost of replacing equipment is a problem.
D. Technology will be more helpful in three years.
A. Better computers need to be designed.
B. Schools should provide newer computers for students.
C. The cost of replacing equipment is a problem.
D. Technology will be more helpful in three years.
【正确答案】
C
【答案解析】Because "populations... cannot currently afford the equipment which needs to be updated every three years," it must be concluded that the cost of replacing equipment is a problem. Choice A is not correct because the quality of the computers is not mentioned. Choices B and D are not correct because no judgments are made.
单选题
Look at the four squares [■] that show where the following sentence could be inserted in the passage.
Thus, the students who are most unlikely to have access at home also do not have access in their schools, increasing the divide between groups even further.
Where could the sentence best be added?
Click on a square [■] to insert the sentence in the passage.
A. Square Ａ.
B. Square Ｂ.
C. Square Ｃ.
D. Square Ｄ.
Thus, the students who are most unlikely to have access at home also do not have access in their schools, increasing the divide between groups even further.
Where could the sentence best be added?
Click on a square [■] to insert the sentence in the passage.
A. Square Ａ.
B. Square Ｂ.
C. Square Ｃ.
D. Square Ｄ.
【正确答案】
C
【答案解析】Conclusion from evidence is the transitional device that connects the insert sentence with the previous sentence. "... twice as many of the schools with more affluent students have wired classrooms... Thus, the students who are most unlikely to have access at home also do not have access in their schools." Choices A, B, and D are not correct because they do not provide the evidence for the conclusion in the insert sentence that follows them.
填空题
Directions: An introduction for a short summary of the passage appears below. Complete the summary by selecting the THREE answer choices that mention the most important points in the passage. Some sentences do not belong in the summary because they express ideas that are not included in the passage or are minor points from the passage.
This question is worth 2 points.
The availability of technology is unequal throughout the world.
·__________
·__________
·__________
A. Currently, only about 10 percent of all the schools in the United States are not wired for Internet access.
B. Less affluent schools have fewer Internet connections, and minorities as well as women hold fewer computer science degrees.
C. Children and teenagers are the two fastest growing segments of the population gaining access to the Internet.
D. Internet access is limited by education, income, geographic location, race, and the age and marital status of the head of household.
E. Computer science graduates can earn almost $50,000.
F. Access to the Internet is one way to encourage equality among diverse groups
This question is worth 2 points.
The availability of technology is unequal throughout the world.
·__________
·__________
·__________
Answer Choices
A. Currently, only about 10 percent of all the schools in the United States are not wired for Internet access.
B. Less affluent schools have fewer Internet connections, and minorities as well as women hold fewer computer science degrees.
C. Children and teenagers are the two fastest growing segments of the population gaining access to the Internet.
D. Internet access is limited by education, income, geographic location, race, and the age and marital status of the head of household.
E. Computer science graduates can earn almost $50,000.
F. Access to the Internet is one way to encourage equality among diverse groups