Is the Internet killing communication? What is most people’s opinion concerning the Internet and...

Is the Internet killing communication?

• What is most people’s opinion concerning the Internet and communication?

• Given the fact that the writer would ask such a question, can you guess what his opinion is?

1. What is the greatest disadvantage of today’s faster information transfer identified in paragraph 1? (77%)• A. A common system

of communication has been destroyed.

• B. Thoughts and ideas are being spread rapidly.

• C. Humans are relying too heavily on transport.

• D. People are losing the ability to communicate with each other.

1. What is the greatest disadvantage of today’s faster information transfer identified in paragraph 1? (77%)• A. A common system

of communication has been destroyed.

• Line 5: “Never before has humanity been able to distribute content so quickly using a fairly universal system.”

• There is no mention of destruction in the paragraph.

1. What is the greatest disadvantage of today’s faster information transfer identified in paragraph 1? (77%)• B. Thoughts and ideas

are being spread rapidly.

• Line 5: “Never before has humanity been able to distribute content so quickly using a fairly universal system.”

• This is not a disadvantage.

1. What is the greatest disadvantage of today’s faster information transfer identified in paragraph 1? (77%)• C. Humans are relying

too heavily on transport.

• Line 10: “After all, what can be better than the rapid transport of ideas and news?”

• “Transport of ideas” is different than the type of transport implied in “C”.

• Doesn’t make sense.

1. What is the greatest disadvantage of today’s faster information transfer identified in paragraph 1? (77%)• D. People are losing

the ability to communicate with each other.

• Line 2: “the Internet has been destroying our ability to communicate effectively.

• This is clearly a disadvantage.

• Correct answer!

2. In paragraph 1, the writer agrees with the view that … (39%)• A. borders between pe

ople have been broken down.

• B. information transfer has become much swifter.

• C. the greatest benefit of the internet is the standardisation of ideas.

• D. the standard features of the Internet have brought the world closer together.

2. In paragraph 1, the writer agrees with the view that … (39%)• A. borders between

people have been broken down.

• Line 6: “In theory, … shrunk our borders. …that is what is claimed. … In fact…”

• “In theory” tells us that the writer doesn’t believe this is actually true.

2. In paragraph 1, the writer agrees with the view that … (39%)

• B. information transfer has become much swifter.

• Line 5: “Never before has humanity been able to distribute content so quickly using a fairly universal system.”

• Swift = quick/fast• The write agrees that

information transfer has become swift, but not that this is a good thing.

• Correct!

2. In paragraph 1, the writer agrees with the view that … (39%)

• C. the greatest benefit of the internet is the standardisation of ideas.

• Line 7: “…standard features of email.”

• The paragraph doesn’t mention this at all.

• Nobody would agree with this view.

2. In paragraph 1, the writer agrees with the view that … (39%)

• D. the standard features of the Internet have brought the world closer together.

• Line 6: “In theory, … shrunk our borders. …that is what is claimed. … In fact…”

• Other people believe this but this writer doesn’t.

3. According to paragraph 2, the writer of this article thinks that the ultimate goal of communication is to … (27%)• A. produce useful tool

s.• B. create social reality.

• C. make things happen.

• D. identify agreed meanings.

3. According to paragraph 2, the writer of this article thinks that the ultimate goal of communication is to … (27%)• A. produce useful

tools.• Line 19: “…

communication and its tools … serve to …”

• Producing tools is not a goal of communication.

• We use tools to help us attain our communicative goals.

• Ex. Telephone.

3. According to paragraph 2, the writer of this article thinks that the ultimate goal of communication is to … (27%)• B. create social reality.• Line 14:

“Communication is defined by Sarah Trenholm and Arthur Jensen … as the process …create … social reality.”

• Sarah and Arthur are not the writers.

• They are defining what communication is, not telling us what the goal of communication is.

3. According to paragraph 2, the writer of this article thinks that the ultimate goal of communication is to … (27%)• C. make things

happen.• Line 19: “…

communication and its tools, …, serve to … in order to bring about a desired action.”

• “in order to” tells us that we are going to be told the reason/goal.

• This is the writer’s opinion.

• Correct!

3. According to paragraph 2, the writer of this article thinks that the ultimate goal of communication is to … (27%)• D. identify agreed

meanings.• Line 18: “… is derived

from the word ‘munia’ meaning ‘service’”

• Not a plausible answer.

4. In line 24, “the task” refers to … (41%)

• A. achieving communication.

• B. defining communication.

• C. desiring action.• D. regulating social re

ality

4. In line 24, “the task” refers to … (41%)

• A. achieving communication.

• line 19: “…communication and its tools…”

• The whole passage is talking about communication and the Internet.

• Correct!

4. In line 24, “the task” refers to … (41%)

• B. defining communication.

• Line 23: “On the basis of these definitions, the Internet is not living up to the task.”

• The definitions tell us what it is.

• They are not the task.

4. In line 24, “the task” refers to … (41%)

• C. desiring action.• line 21: “in order to

bring about a desired action.”

• Wanting/desiring an action is not a task.

4. In line 24, “the task” refers to … (41%)

• D. regulating social reality.

• Line 23: “On the basis of these definitions, the Internet is not living up to the task.”

• Regulating social reality is only Sarah Trenholm and Arthur Jensen’s definition.

• We’re looking for something more general.

5. In line 35, “the application” refers to … (75%)

• A. the Internet• B. distribution of infor

mation.

• C. email.• D. sending messages.

5. In line 35, “the application” refers to … (75%)

• A. the Internet• line 32: “Email, the

most commonly used Internet application, is a wonderful tool, allowing cheap, easy distribution of information.”

• This sentence is telling us that email is an Internet application.

• Internet is an adjective modifying ‘application’.

5. In line 35, “the application” refers to … (75%)

• B. distribution of information.

• line 32: “Email, the most commonly used Internet application, is a wonderful tool, allowing cheap, easy distribution of information.”

• “Distribution of ideas” is what you do with the application.

• It is not the application.

5. In line 35, “the application” refers to … (75%)

• C. email.• line 32: “Email, the

most commonly used Internet application, is a wonderful tool, allowing cheap, easy distribution of information.”

• Email is an Internet application.

• Correct!

5. In line 35, “the application” refers to … (75%)

• D. sending messages.• “The problem lies with

the users of the application who choose to ignore all …rules when sending messages.”

• Again, “sending messages” is what you do with the application.

• It is not the application.

6. In the writer’s view in paragraph 4, the main advantage of email is …. (76%)

• A. it is friendly. • B. its informality.

• C. it is simple and inexpensive.

• D. its use in business situations.

6. In the writer’s view in paragraph 4, the main advantage of email is …. (76%)

• A. it is friendly• line 37: “Because

email is perceived as a friendly format …”

• People are friendly.• “Friendly format”

means that it is user-friendly.

6. In the writer’s view in paragraph 4, the main advantage of email is …. (76%)

• B. its informality• line 42: “The tone …

is too informal …”

• The word “too” tells us that this cannot be an advantage.

6. In the writer’s view in paragraph 4, the main advantage of email is …. (76%)

• C. it is simple and inexpensive.

• Line 33: “… a wonderful tool, allowing cheap and easy distribution of information.”

• Cheap = inexpensive• Easy = Simple• “Allowing” and

“wonderful” give the sentence a positive tone.

• Correct!

6. In the writer’s view in paragraph 4, the main advantage of email is …. (76%)

• D. its use in business situations.

• Line 38: “…lazy habits are formed that eventually creep into business …”

• The words “lazy” and “creep into” tell us that it is not an advantage.

7. According to paragraph 4, the writer thinks that in email communication, the relationship between participants tends to be …(55%)

• A. easily identified.• B. ignored.

• C. carefully chosen.• D. atrocious

7. According to paragraph 4, the writer thinks that in email communication, the relationship between participants tends to be …(55%)

• A. easily identified.• line 44: “the writing

style used in email needs to be chosen according to the receiver.”

• This says that the relationship needs to be identified.

• It doesn’t say that it is easily identified.

7. According to paragraph 4, the writer thinks that in email communication, the relationship between participants tends to be …(55%)

• B. ignored.• line 40: “… job

applicants ignore standard resume … ‘rules’...”

• line 42: “The tone … is too informal …”

• You should write differently to a potential employer than you would to a friend, but people ignore these rules.

• They write informally when they shouldn’t.

• Correct!

7. According to paragraph 4, the writer thinks that in email communication, the relationship between participants tends to be …(55%)

• C. carefully chosen.• Line 42: “The tone of

the material is too informal ...”

• Line 44: “…style needs to be chosen according to the receiver.”

• Yes, the relationship should be considered, but the fact that it is too informal tells us that it often isn’t.

7. According to paragraph 4, the writer thinks that in email communication, the relationship between participants tends to be …(55%)

• D. atrocious• line 43: “ … the

grammar and spelling are atrocious.”

• You can write poorly and still have a good relationship with someone.

8. According to paragraph 5, the writer has a pessimistic view of the future because … (38%)

• A. we do not act appropriately when communicating.

• B. society and culture can no longer be created by communication.

• C. Societal norms lack meaning and value.

• D. people no longer understand how self-centred they are.

8. According to paragraph 5, the writer has a pessimistic view of the future because … (38%)

• A. we do not act appropriately when communicating.

• Line 46: “… communication sits on the brink of extinction as a result of the ultra-informal habits …”

• line52: “… by disregarding the ways in which we create … and receive messages.”

• “Extinction” shows us the writer’s pessimistic view.

• “ultra-informal” and “disregarding” show us that the way we communicate is inappropriate.

• Correct!

8. According to paragraph 5, the writer has a pessimistic view of the future because … (38%)

• B. society and culture can no longer be created by communication.

• Line 52: “Both society and culture are created by communication.”

• Communication will still have a role to play in society and culture.

• We can assume that the writer won’t like the kind of society and culture we will have in the future.

8. According to paragraph 5, the writer has a pessimistic view of the future because … (38%)

• C. Societal norms lack meaning and value.

• Line 48: “… people ignoring … societal norms.”

• Line 53: “…we are destined for a world without meaning or value - a selfish world.”

• The writer thinks societal norms are important.

• The problem is that we are ignoring them.”

8. According to paragraph 5, the writer has a pessimistic view of the future because … (38%)

• D. people no longer understand how self-centred they are.

• Line 53: “…we are destined for … a selfish world.”

• Yes, people may become more self-centred.

• However, the idea of people no longer understanding this is not mentioned.

9. Paragraph 6 suggests that some people think the Internet has created a “global village” by … (39%)

• A. boasting about their companies’ advantages.

• B. creating quick-cut videos.

• C. creating communication dreams.

• D. improving communication between people.

9. Paragraph 6 suggests that some people think the Internet has created a “global village” by … (39%)

• A. boasting about their companies’ advantages.

• Line 56: “Microsoft, IBM, … boast of the ‘global village’ that … the Internet has brought about.”

• To boast means to talk proudly of your achievement.

• They are proud of having created a global village but they didn’t create it by boasting.

9. Paragraph 6 suggests that some people think the Internet has created a “global village” by … (39%)

• B. creating quick-cut videos.

• Line 58: “Despite bold headlines and quick-cut video clips, …this global village is no more than a dream.”

• Despite the attempts by newspapers and tv to make us believe the Internet is creating a global village, it really isn’t.

9. Paragraph 6 suggests that some people think the Internet has created a “global village” by … (39%)

• C. creating communication dreams.

• Line 59: “…this global village is no more than a dream.”

• If something is “no more than a dream”, it is something you wish for but isn’t real.

9. Paragraph 6 suggests that some people think the Internet has created a “global village” by … (39%)

• D. improving communication between people.

• Line 60: “In a village, everyone finds a way to communicate...”

• You could also use common sense to answer this.

• Correct!

10. The writer sees a village as a place where people … (28%)

• A. lack a healthy lifestyle.

• B. can’t communicate with each other.

• C. support each other.• D. live to survive.

10. The writer sees a village as a place where people … (28%)

• A. lack a healthy lifestyle.

• Line 63: “…we’re sitting alone in front of a gently humming computer …”

• This doesn’t sound healthy, but he’s describing our lives with the Internet, not our life in a village.

10. The writer sees a village as a place where people … (28%)

• B. can’t communicate with each other.

• Line 62: “We are not communicating …”

• Again, he is describing our lives with the Internet, not life in a village.

10. The writer sees a village as a place where people … (28%)

• C. support each other.• Line 66: “Nothing

could be less like the social and supportive atmosphere of a true village.”

• In a true village, people are supportive.

• Correct!

10. The writer sees a village as a place where people … (28%)

• D. live to survive.• Line 60: “In a village,

everyone finds a way to communicate to survive, in order to live.”

• People in a village communicate to survive.

• They communicate to live.

• They don’t live to survive.

11. People using the Internet are ‘impulse- driven’ (line 69) when they … (57%)

• A. reply to messages without thinking.

• B. communicate using superhighways.

• C. communicate too frequently by email.

• D. take advantage of other Internet users.

11. People using the Internet are ‘impulse- driven’ (line 69) when they … (57%)

• A. reply to messages without thinking.

• Line 72: “A user reads an email or visits website, grows impassioned …, and quickly jots off a response.”

• If people quickly jot off responses, we can assume that they don’t think over response.

• Correct!

11. People using the Internet are ‘impulse- driven’ (line 69) when they … (57%)

• B. communicate using superhighways.

• Line 70: “Millions … of bytes sent over the information superhighway …”

• The “information superhighway” is another name for the Internet.

• It wouldn’t make sense to say people using the Internet are impulse driven when they use the Internet.

11. People using the Internet are ‘impulse- driven’ (line 69) when they … (57%)

• C. communicate too frequently by email.

• Line 72: “A user reads an email or visits website, grows impassioned …, and quickly jots off a response.”

• There is no mention of the email being sent too frequently in the passage.

11. People using the Internet are ‘impulse- driven’ (line 69) when they … (57%)

• D. take advantage of other Internet users.

• Line 68: “It is now commonplace, …, to take advantage of the … impulse-driven nature of the Internet.”

• The passage says people take advantage of the nature of the Internet, not of other people.

12. The writer views coolguy@hotmail.com with (line 81) … (22%)

• A. coarseness• B. cowardliness

• C. passion.• D. scorn.

12. The writer views coolguy@hotmail.com with (line 81) … (22%)

• A. coarseness• line 78: “How easy …

it has become to send a critical email … filled with coarse expressions …”

• “Coarse” describes the kind of language used.

• It doesn’t describe how he views coolguy.

12. The writer views coolguy@hotmail.com with (line 81) … (22%)

• B. cowardliness• line 78: “How easy,

albeit cowardly, it has become to send a critical email … when your return address is … coolguy@hotmail.com.”

• The writer is saying that coolguy acts in a cowardly way so you could that he views him as a coward.

• Because of “with” we’re looking for a word describing the way he views him.

12. The writer views coolguy@hotmail.com with (line 81) … (22%)

• C. passion.• line 76: “Messages are

created … in the heat of the moment …”

• This describes how the messages are sent, not how the writer views coolguy.

12. The writer views coolguy@hotmail.com with (line 81) … (22%)

• D. scorn.• line 78: “How easy,

albeit cowardly, it has become to send a critical email … when your return address is … coolguy@hotmail.com.”

• The writer thinks he is a coward.

• To view someone with scorn is to view them in a disapproving way.

• Correct!

13. According to paragraph 7, newsgroup messages are distorted because recipients … (59%)

• A. ignore the overall intentions of these messages.

• B. feel less rewarded when they respond to them.

• C. only respond negatively.

• D. delete messages without reading them.

13. According to paragraph 7, newsgroup messages are distorted because recipients … (59%)

• A. ignore the overall intentions of these messages.

• Line 81: “How personally rewarding it must be to respond to a post … by tearing it apart … rather than comprehending the whole message...”

• They don’t try to understand the whole message.

• Correct!

13. According to paragraph 7, newsgroup messages are distorted because recipients … (59%)

• B. feel less rewarded when they respond to them.

• Line 81: “How personally rewarding it must be to respond to a post … by tearing it apart … rather than … responding intelligently.”

• They actually do feel it is personally rewarding, even though the writer feels it shouldn’t be.

13. According to paragraph 7, newsgroup messages are distorted because recipients … (59%)

• C. only respond negatively.

• Line 81: “How personally rewarding it must be to respond to a post … by tearing it apart … rather than … responding intelligently.”

• Replying negatively does not distort the original message.

• If anything, it only makes the reply distorted.

13. According to paragraph 7, newsgroup messages are distorted because recipients … (59%)

• D. delete messages without reading them.

• The paragraph does not mention deleting messages.

• Not a plausible answer.

14. In line 88, the word “utopian” means … (62%)

• A. achievable• B. mythical

• C. imaginary• D. idealistic

14. In line 88, the word “utopian” means … (62%)

• A. achievable• line 88: “The Internet,

named for its utopian goal of … mutual togetherness, should be properly named …”

• If the writer doesn’t think the Internet is properly named, we can assume that he doesn’t think its goal is achievable.

14. In line 88, the word “utopian” means … (62%)

• B. mythical• line 88: “The Internet,

named for its utopian goal of … mutual togetherness, …”

• The Internet’s goal is to bring people together, so this is not a plausible answer.

14. In line 88, the word “utopian” means … (62%)

• C. imaginary• line 88: “The Internet,

named for its utopian goal of … mutual togetherness, …”

• Bringing people together is a real goal, but the writer says we do not achieve it.

14. In line 88, the word “utopian” means … (62%)

• D. idealistic• line 88: “The Internet,

named for its utopian goal of … mutual togetherness, should be properly named …”

• We want mutual togetherness, but we cannot have it.

• Correct!

15. In paragraph 8, the writer claims that websites … (55%)

• A. can confuse target audiences.

• B. produce sucessful one-to-one relationships.

• C. are oriented to mass audiences.

• D. are copies of television and radio.

15. In paragraph 8, the writer claims that websites … (55%)

• A. can confuse target audiences.

• Line 91: “Websites … find themselves … stuck in a grey area between interpersonal and mass communication.”

• The writer says that it is hard to classify websites.

• He doesn’t say that they confuse audiences.

15. In paragraph 8, the writer claims that websites … (55%)

• B. produce sucessful one-to-one relationships.

• Line 96: “…, websites can easily be thought of as building a one-to-one relationship.”

• At first this may seem like a possible answer.

• However, the choice of words should make us suspicious as to whether the reality is different from what we think.

• Another answer is better.

15. In paragraph 8, the writer claims that websites … (55%)

• C. are oriented to mass audiences.

• Line 98: “However, a website’s ultimate target remains one-to-many …”

• One-to-many = mass audience.

• Correct!

15. In paragraph 8, the writer claims that websites … (55%)

• D. are copies of television and radio.

• Line 98: “However, a website’s ultimate target remains one-to-many, much the same as television and radio.”

• The Internet’s target is similar to television’s.

• It is not a copy.

16. The main idea in the final paragraph is that … (75%)

• A. there is no chance of a successful future communication.

• B. a bright future in world communication is possible.

• C. the Internet will soon build a global village.

• D. society’s members act powerfully and responsibly.

16. The main idea in the final paragraph is that … (75%)

• A. there is no chance of a successful future communication.

• Line 100: “All of this does not necessarily lead to the end of our communicative nature.”

• There is still hope.

16. The main idea in the final paragraph is that … (75%)

• B. a bright future in world communication is possible.

• The whole paragraph is about a bright future for communication.

• Correct!

16. The main idea in the final paragraph is that … (75%)

• C. the Internet will soon build a global village.

• Line 107: “ … can help the Internet realise its lofty goal … and … lend a hand in building that global village.”

• There is no reason to believe that this will happen soon.

16. The main idea in the final paragraph is that … (75%)

• D. society’s members act powerfully and responsibly.

• Line 101: As a society we have the power to take responsibility for our actions …”

• We can act this way, but the paragraph doesn’t say that we do.