Passage 2
The Internet can make the news more democratic, giving the public a chance to ask questions and seek out facts behind stories and candidates, according to the head of the largest US on-line service.
“But the greatest potential for public participation is still in the future,” Steven Case, chairman of America On-line, told a recent meeting on Journalism and the Internet sponsored by The Freedom Forum, though other speakers say the new technology of computers is changing the face of journalism, giving reporters access to more information and their readers a chance to ask questions and turn to different sources.
“You don't have to buy a newspaper and be confined to the four corners of that paper anymore,” Sam Meddis, on-line technology editor at USA Today, observed about the variety of information available to computer users.
But the speakers noted the easy access to the Internet also means anyone can post information for others to see. “Anyone can say anything they want, whether it's right or wrong,” said Case. Readers have to determine for themselves who to trust. “In a world of almost infinite voices, respected journalists and respected brand names will probably become more important, not less,” Case said.
The Internet today is about where radio was 80 years ago, or television 50 years ago or cable 25 years ago, he said. But it is growing rapidly because it provides people fast access to news and a chance to comment on it.
He forecast increased political participation on-line in this year and in 2000 with politicians able to answer directly to the public—an opportunity to increase voter turnout and for politicians to raise funds from the public.
The main topic of this passage is ________.
文章第二段提到“the new technology of computers is changing the face of journalism”，由此可知本文主要描写的是网络的出现对报刊杂志的影响，C选项最能表述文章主旨，因此答案选C。
It can be inferred from this passage that ________may NOT be regarded as the advantages of the Internet?
文章第四段提到“But the speakers noted the easy access to the Internet also means anyone can post information for others to see. Anyone can say anything they want, whether it's right or wrong”，可知在网络上任何人都能发布任何信息，无论对错，这会带来一定消极的影响，因此D选项描述的可能不是网络的优点，答案选D。
The correct order for the appearance of the four technologies is ________.
文章倒数第二段提到“The Internet today is about where radio was 80 years ago, or television 50 years ago or cable 25 years ago”，今天的网络就像80年前的广播，50年前的电视或者25年前的有线电视一样。所以这四种技术出现的顺序是radio-television-cable-internet，答案选B。
Which of the following statements is true?
文章第四段明确指出“respected journalists and respected brand names will probably become more important”，B选项的说法与之相符，因此答案选B。
On the whole, the attitude Steven Case holds for the Internet's future development is ________.
文章最后两段提到Steven Case对网络的看法，他认为网络正在迅速发展，因为它为人们提供了快速获取新闻评论新闻的机会，并表示通过网络政治参与人数将增加，政治家们能够直接回答公众问题。 因此可知推断出Steven Case对网络的未来是持乐观态度的，所以答案选B。