Unit Seven Mass Media
With the development of technology and economy, the mass media has gained more and more improvements and revolutions. Today’s life can not go on without the mass media. It brings us a lot of benefits and also some disadvantages. This unit is going to analyze the effect of mass media.
Passage 1 Internet Safety
[A]How could we exist without the Internet? That's how most of us keep in touch with friends, find homework support, research a cool place to visit, or find out the latest news. the Internet is home to millions of places you can and should visit. Like aninfinite library, the Web can take you to the ends of the earth with the information it contains.
[B]You can use it to do research for school, find out what movie is playing near you (and whether people like it), check out a college you're thinking about, or find a job orvolunteeropportunity. Almost anything you can think of has a website (or a thousand of them)about it. And it's not just websites — blogs, videos, anddownloadable gamesawait to connect you with other user and players.
[C]But besides the millions of sites to visit and things to do, the Internet offers lots of ways to waste time — and even get into trouble. And just as in thenon-cyber world, some people youencounter online might try to take advantage of you —financially or physically. You've probably heard stories about people who get into trouble in chat rooms. Because users can easily remainanonymous, chat rooms often attract people who are interested in more than just chatting. They'll sometimes ask visitors for information about themselves, their families, or where they live — information that shouldn't be given away.
[D]Usually, the people whorequest personal information like home addresses, phone numbers, and email addresses use this information to fill mailboxes and answering machines with advertisements. In some cases, though,predators may use this information to beginillegalorindecentrelationships or to harm a person's or family'swell-being.
[E]The key is to protect yourself while online.
Smart Surfing
[F]First rule of smart surfing? Remain as anonymous as possible. That means keeping all private information private. Here are some examples of private information that you should never give out on the Internet:
full name
home address
phone number
SocialSecuritynumber
passwords
names of family members
credit card numbers
[G]Most credible people and companies will never ask for this type of information online. So if someone does, it's a red flag that they may be up to no good.
[H]Think carefully before you create an email address or screen name. Web experts recommend that you use a combination of letters and numbers in both — and that you don't identify whether you're male or female.
[I]In chat rooms, use a nickname that's different from your screen name. That way, if you ever find yourself in a conversation that makes you uncomfortable, you can exit without having to worry that someone knows your screen name and can track you down via email. Some people whohang out with their friends online set up private chat rooms where only they and the people they invite can enter to chat.
[J]Experts recommend that people keep online friendships in the virtual world. Meeting online friends face to face carries more risks than other types of friendships because it's so easy for people to pretend to be something they're not when you can't see them or talk in person.
[K]If you everget involved in a chat room conversation that makes you feel uncomfortable or in danger for any reason, exit and tell a parent or other adult right away so they can report the incident. You can also report it to the website of theNational Center for Missing and Exploited Children at www.missingkids.com — they have a form for reporting this type of incident called CyberTipline. They will then see thatthe info is forwarded to law enforcement officials forinvestigation.
Cyberbullying
[L]It's not just strangers who can make you feel uncomfortable online. Cyberbullying refers to cruel or bullying messages sent to you online. These might be from former friends or other people you know. They can be irritating and, in some cases, even frightening.
[M]If you get these bullying messages online, it's often better to ignorethem rather than answer them. Cyberbullies, just like other bullies, may be angry or disturbed people — and may be looking for attention or a reaction.
[N]Fortunately, most people never experience cyberbullying. But if you're getting cyberbullied and ignoring it doesn't make it go away, getting help from a parent, schoolcounselor, or another trusted adult may be a good idea. That's especially true if the cyberbullying contains threats.
Online Annoyances
[O]Although email isrelativelyprivate,hackerscan still access it — or add you to theirspam lists. Spam, like advertisements orharassingoroffensivenotes, is annoying. Butspam blockerscan keep your mailbox from gettingclogged. Many service providers will help you block out or screen inappropriate emails if your parents agree to set up age-appropriate parental controls.
[P]If you don't recognize the sender of a document orfilethat needs to be downloaded, deleteit without opening it to avoid getting a virus on your machine.Virus protection software is a must for every computer.And you can also buy software that helpsrid your computer of unwanted spyware programs that report what your computer is doing. Some service providers make software available to protect you from these and other online annoyances, such as blockers for thosein-your-face pop-up ads.
[Q]If you do invest in protective software, you'll need to keep itupdated to be sure it continues to do its job as new technologiesevolve.
[R]With all the problems you can face online, is it worth it? For most people, the answer is definitely yes. You just need to know where thepitfalls are, use some common sense andcaution, and you'll be in control.
Notes to the Text
infinite:无限的 having no limits or boundaries in time or space or extent.
downloadable: 可以下载的can be downloaded. The suffix –able means “can be done”. More examples are dependable, thinkable, imaginable.
await: look forward to, expect .
site: the piece of land on which something is located (or is to be located); a computer connected to the internet that maintains a series of web pages on the World Wide Web.
non-cyber world: 非网络世界 the real world instead of the virtual world on the Internet
encounter: to meet sth. or sb. accidentally.
anonymous:匿名的 having no known name or identity or known source.
request: 要求express the need or desire for; ask for.
personal:个人的，私人的 concerning or affecting a particular person or his or her private life and personality.
predator：掠夺者，肉食性动物someone who attacks in search of booty, any animal that lives by preying on other animals.
illegal: prohibited by law or by official or accepted rules.
indecent:不适当的 not in keeping with accepted standards of what is right or proper in polite society. In is a prefix meaning “no”, which can be added to many adjectives to mean the opposite, such as invisible, incorrect, inexpensive.
password: 密码a secret word or phrase known only to a restricted group; E.g. You’d better not forget the password.
credit card number:信用卡卡号
credible:可信的 capable of being believed. Like –able, the suffix -ible also means “can be done”.
a red falg:an obvious warning signal
identify:认出 recognize as being; establish the identity of someone or something.
chat: talk in a informal way
nickname: a familiar name (often a shortened version of a person's given name), a name you would like your family and your friends to call you.
track: go after with the intent to catch sth. The phrase “track sth down” means “to find someone or something that is difficult to find by searching or making inquiries in several places.”
hang out with their friends online: to spend a lot of time with their friends on the Internet.
National Center for Missing and Exploited Children: 美国全国失踪与受虐儿童服务中心
the info is forwarded: the information is sent or delivered to
cyberbullying:网络恐吓the act of bullying on the Internet. bully: 恐吓，要挟threaten someone to make them do something.
spam lists: a list of Internet users who receive copies of usually useless and annoying information from unknown sources.
spam blockers:垃圾邮件阻拦软件softwares to help prevent the spam information.
Virus protection software is a must for every computer: Every computer must be equipped with a software which can prevent virus infection. virus: 病毒 a very small living thing that causes infectious diseases.
rid your computer of unwanted spyware programs: help your computer to get rid of the programs which keep an eye on what your computer is doing and which you don’t need.
in-your-face pop-up ads:自动弹出的广告 the advertisements that pop up in front of your eyes once you open a certain webpage.
Vocabulary
Nouns
well-being: 幸福 a contented state of being happy and healthy and prosperous.
security: safety, the state of being free from danger or injury;
volunteer: 志愿者a person who freely enlist for a particular kind of service without payment.
enforcement: 强制执行the act of making people obey a rule or a law. The verb is enforce.
virus: 病毒 a very small living thing that causes infectious diseases.
investigation: 调查the work of inquiring into something thoroughly and systematically.
counselor:顾问 some who gives advice about problems.
annoyance:讨厌的事或人someone or something that is a source of unhappiness; a state of being irritated.
hacker:黑客A person who enjoys the challenge of breaking into other computers.
file: 文件a set of related records (either written or electronic)kept together.
pitfall: 陷阱an unforeseen or unexpected difficulty; a trap in the form of a concealed hole.
caution:谨慎 the trait of being cautious; being attentive to possible danger.
Verbs
ignore:忽视 give little or no attention to.
clog: 堵塞block
delete: 删除remove or make invisible.
evolve: 演变，发展to develop or make something develop by gradually changing.
bully: 恐吓，要挟threaten someone to make them do something.
harass:骚扰treat someone unfairly by threatening them or being continuously unpleasant to them.
Adjectives
updated:更新的 be modernized or brought up to date.
infinite:无限的 having no limits or boundaries in time or space or extent.
virtual:虚拟的，仿真的 being actually such in almost every respect.
irritating: 令人恼怒的making someone angry or annoyed.
offensive: 冒犯的very rude of insulting and likely to upset people
Adverbs
financially:经济的 from a financial point of view.
relatively: 相对的comparatively, by comparison to something else.
Phrases
take advantage of: make use of a particular situation to get something.
in person: 亲自的doing something by going somewhere yourself, not by letter or asking someone else to do it.
get involved in: take part in an activity or event, or be connected with it in some way.
Culture Note
Social Security number: In the United States, for example, individuals do not have an official identity card but a Social Security number that has long served as an identification number. Taxes are collected on the basis of each citizen's Social Security number, and many private institutions use the number to keep track of their employees, students, and patients. Access to an individual's Social Security number affords the opportunity to gather all the documents related to that person's citizenship—i.e., to steal his identity.
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