阅读理解。
Someday a stranger will read your e-mail without your permission or scan the website you've visited.
Or perhaps someone will casually glance through your credit card purchases or cell phones bills to find
out your shopping or calling habits.
In fact, it's likely some of theses things have already happened to you. Who would watch you without
your permission? It might be a spouse (配偶), a girlfriend, a marketing company, a boss, a policeman or a
criminal. Whoever it is, they will see you in a way you never intended to be seen--- the 21st century
equivalent (同等物) of being caught without wearing anything.
Psychologists tell us boundaries are healthy, that it's important to reveal (透露) yourself to friends, family
and lovers in stages, at proper times. But few boundaries remain. The digital breed crumbs (面包屑) you
leave everywhere make it easy for strangers to reconstruct (重现) who you are, where you are and what you
like. In some cases, a simple Google search can reveal what you think. Like it or nor, increasingly we live in
a world where you simply cannot keep a secret.
The key question is: Does that matter?
For many Americans, the answer obviously is "no."
When opinion surveys ask Americans about privacy, most say they are concerned about losing it. A
survey found an overwhelming pessimism (悲观) about privacy, with 60 percent of respondents saying
that they feel their privacy is " slipping away, and that bothers me."
But people say one thing and do another. Only a tiny part of Americans change any behaviours in an
effort to protect their privacy. Few people turn down a discount (折扣) at tollbooths to avoid using the
EZ-Pass system that can track automobile movements. And few turn down supermarkets loyalty cards.
Privacy economist Alessandro Acquisti has run a series of tests that reveal people will give personal
information like Social Security numbers just to get their hands on a pitiful 50-cents-off coupon (优惠卷).
But privacy does matter--- at least sometimes. It is like health. When you have it, you don't notice it. Only
when it's gone do you wish you'd done more to protect it.
1. What would psychologists advise on the relationships between friends?
A. Friends should open their hearts to each other.'
B. There should be a distance even between friends.
C. Friends should always be faithful to each other.
D. There should be fewer arguments between friends.
2. Why does the author say " We live in a world where you simply cannot keep a secret?"
A. Modern society has finally developed in to an open society.
B. People leave traces (踪迹) around when using modern technology.
C. There are always people who are curious about others' affairs.
D. Many search engines profit by revealing people's identities (身份).
3. What do most Americans do to protect privacy?
A. They change behaviours that might reveal their identity.
B. The use various loyalty cards for business transaction(处理).
C. They rely more and more on electronic devices.
D. The talk a lot but hardly do anything about it.
4. According to the passage, privacy is like health in that _______.
A. people will make every efforts to keep it.
B. its importance is hardly understood.
C. it is something that can easily be lost.
D. people don't value it until they lose it.
