A new commodity brings about a highly profitable, fast-growing industry, urging antitrust(反垄断)regulators to step in to check those who control its flow. A century ago, the resource in question was oil. Now similar concerns are being raised by the giants(巨头) that deal in data, the oil of the digital age. The most valuable firms are Google, Amazon, Facebook and Microsoft. All look unstoppable.
Such situations have led to calls for the tech giants to be broken up. But size alone is not a crime. The giants’ success has benefited consumers. Few want to live without search engines or a quick delivery, Far from charging consumers high prices, many of these services are free (users pay, in effect, by handing over yet more data). And the appearance of new-born giants suggests that newcomers can make waves, too.
But there is cause for concern. The internet has made data abundant, all-present and far more valuable, changing the nature of data and competition. Google initially used the data collected from users to target advertising better. But recently it has discovered that data can be turned into new services: translation and visual recognition, to be sold to other companies. Internet companies’ control of data gives them enormous power. So they have a “God’s eye view” of activities in their own markets and beyond.
This nature of data makes the antitrust measures of the past less useful. Breaking up firms like Google into five small ones would not stop remaking themselves: in time, one of them would become great again. A rethink is required—and as a new approach starts to become apparent, two ideas stand out.
The first is that antitrust authorities need to move form the industrial age into the 21st century. When considering a merger(兼并), for example, they have traditionally used size to determine when to step in. They now need to take into account the extent of firms’ data assets(资产) when assessing the impact of deals. The purchase price could also be a signal that an established company is buying a new-born threat. When this takes place, especially when a new-born company has no revenue to speak of, the regulators should raise red flags.
The second principle is to loosen the control that providers of on-line services have over data and give more to those who supply them.Companies could be forced to consumers what information they hold and how much
money they make from it. Governments could order the sharing of certain kinds of data, with users’ consent.
Restarting antitrust for the information age will not be easy But if governments don’t wants a data economy by a few giants, they must act soon.
61.Why is there a call to break up giants?
A. They have controlled the data market. B. They collect enormous private data.
C. They no longer provide free services. D. They dismissed some new-born giants.
62.What does the technological innovation in Paragraph 3 indicate?
A. Data giants’ technology is very expensive. B. Google’s idea is popular among data firms
C. Data can strengthen giants’ controlling position. D. Data can be turned into new services or products
63.By paying attention to firms’ data assets, antitrust regulators could .
A. kill a new threat B. avoid the size trap
C. favour bigger firms D. charge higher prices
64.What is the purpose of loosening the giants’ control of data?
A. Big companies could relieve data security pressure.
B. Governments could relieve their financial pressure.
C. Consumers could better protect their privacy.
D. Small companies could get more opportunities.
【答案】61.A 62.C 63.B 64.D
62.C 推理判断题。根据第三段“Internet companies’ control of data gives them enormous power. So they have a “God’s eye view” of activities in their own markets and beyond.”可知,互联网公司对数据的掌控使得它们拥有了很大的权力,说明数据会加强大公司的统治地位。
63.B 推理判断题。根据倒数第三段“The first is that antitrust authorities need to move form the industrial age into the 21st century. When considering a merger(兼并), for example, they have traditionally used size to determine when to step in. They now need to take into account the extent of firms’ data assets(资产) when assessing the impact of deals.”可知,以前介入的标准是看公司的规模,而现在是把数据库的范围考虑在内。
64.D推理判断题。根据倒数第二段“Companies could be forced to consumers what information they hold
and how many money they make from it. Governments... with users’ consent.”可知,由于大公司垄断数据信息,不利于小公司更好地服务消费者,也不利于政府开展工作。弱化这种垄断将会给小公司带去更多的发展机会。
【名师点睛】
推理判断题
高考英语阅读理解所涉及的考点比较多,比如考查常识理解、细节理解、语义理解、主旨理解、推理判断等。但比较而言,难度最大而且最容易出错的是推理判断题。因为推理判断题通常要求考生不仅要理解原文的文字信息,而且还要进行一定的判断和推理,并以此推断出文章的隐含意义。推理判断题属于主观性很强的高层次阅读理解题,做这类题目时,要严格依据作者所陈述的细节、事实以及作者的措辞、态度和语气,找出能够表露作者思想倾向和感情色彩的词语,然后利用自己已获得的相关知识进行推理判断,从而得出符合逻辑的结论。此时应特别注意:当问及作者的看法、意图与态度时,不要误认为是在问“你”的想法。
考点一 考查因果关系的推断
因果关系的推断是高考英语推断题中考得比较多的一类。因果关系的推断有时只涉及一个或几个细节,有时涉及一个或几个段落,有时甚至涉及全文。一般说来,推断因果关系所涉及的内容越多,难度也就越大,同学们越要仔细。
考点二 考查作者观点的推断
推断作者观点也是高考英语阅读中一个比较常见的考点。这类考题的命题特点是:命题者要求考生根据阅读材料中的某些事实推断出作者所持的观点和态度。同学们在做这类题时,一定要注意作者在文中的措辞,尤其是表达感情色彩的形容词、副词、动词及所举的例子(如有直接引语,也要特别注意),才能推断出作者的弦外之音。
此类试题的干扰项通常具有以下特点:或是社会的一种普遍倾向,或是与本文无关的观点,或是与作者相反的看法等。
考点三 考查作者意图的推断
这里说的“作者意图”至少包括两个方面:一是指作者直接在文中透露出的意图,如提及某个细节的意图,列举某个例子的意图,等等;二是指作者写这篇文章的意图或所想达到的目的。同学们做这类题时一定要结合文章主题进行推断,也就是说作者的意图原则上应与文章主题一致,而不能与之相悖。如:
考点四 考查读者对象的推断
推断读者对象的考题在高考中出现得不多,只在部分省、市的考题中偶尔出现。这类考题的特点是:命题者要求先读一篇材料,然后要求考生根据所读材料推断出该材料的读者对象是什么。同学们做这类题要注意的是,先读懂文章大意,然后比较所给四个选项的人群特点,再寻找其相关点,最后得出一个合情合理的答案。例如第64题。
考点五 考查隐含意义的推断
对隐含意义的推测是阅读理解中难度较大的一类考点。所谓推断隐含意义,就是要求考生在理解原文表面文字信息的基础上,作出合乎情理的推理与判断,从而得出文章的隐含意义和深层意义。对隐含意义的推测属于主观性较强的高层次阅读理解,同学们在做这类题目时,一定要严格依据作者所陈述的细节、事实以及作者的措辞、态度和语气,找出能够表露作者思想倾向和感情色彩的词句,然后利用自己的相关知识进行推理判断,从而得出符合逻辑的结论。例如第72题。
考点六 考查特定结论的推断
简单地说,高考英语对阅读理解的考查主要是两大类:一类是细节理解;一类是推理判断。推理判断题除前面分析的因果关系的推断、作者观点的推断、作者意图的推断、读者对象的推断、文章出处的推断、隐含意义的推断等之外,还有许多结论性的推断,即要求考生根据所读文章对某种结论作出推断。因这类考题涉及面比较广,出题形式比较灵活,所以一并归入“特定结论的推断”。
考点:考查科普说明文阅读
政治经济类文章的概念:
要做好这类阅读,平时就要注意了解国内外发生的政治经济大事,掌握一定背景知识,对这类文章的叙述特点及内容安排有一定了解,还要扩展这方面的词汇。阅读这类文章,要抓住文章的核心,即文章整体和各段主要在说什么,也要注意段落之间的逻辑关系。
如何备考政治经济类阅读理解题:
【题型说明】政治经济类阅读文章是高考常选材料之一。该类文章时代气息浓郁,语言鲜活,但熟字新义词、超纲词及专业词语多,长句、难句多。政治类文章大多数是同学们感性趣的内容,读起来倒有似曾相识的感觉,经济类文章读起来就像是雾里看花,文章看完,一头雾水。再加之这类文章的命题侧重于词义猜测、推理判断和文章主旨,同学们对这类题材是望而生畏。
【备考策略】建立心理优势。针对不同体裁的文章,我们要采取相应的阅读方法和技巧。政治类文章多采用记叙文形式,我们可采取“顺读法”,以便抓关键语句,领会文章主旨;而经济类文章则多采用说明文形式,我们则可以采取“逆读法”,先读试题,再从文章中查找有用信息。若遇到的确难读的材料。千万不用着急,因为你觉得难,其他人也一定是同感。在高考前,我们就要有这种心理准备,高考试卷肯定有一、两篇难以阅读的材料。不过,我们平时可以有意识地从报刊杂志上找一些较难的阅读材料来阅读,以培养自己迎难而上的心理素质。
【答题方法】
1、寻找主干:
根据英语中五种基本句型结构,把句子中的主语、谓语、宾语、表语等主要成分找出来,其他成分如定语、状语、补语等则易于理解。找到了句子主干,句子的意思至少明白了一半。
2、剔除从句:
在一个长句中可能会出现若干个从句,在理解时,如果把各个从句剔除出来单独理解,然后把大意拼凑起来,整个长句的意思就会明白六、七分。
3、辨别分句:
一个长句如果是由几个并列、转折、递进、对比关系的分句组成,句中往往有表示这些分句关系的连接词,只要能弄清楚分句和分句之间的逻辑关系,再把各层分句的意思加以连贯,整个长句的句意基本上能跃然脑中。
4、寻找关键词:
如果一个句子看完,一点句意的感觉也没有,下下策就是抓住句中的关键词,通过关键词大体弄懂这个长句的意思。
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