Unit 33


Muffin Man has more than 2,000 songs on his hard drive，and he's happy to share them．He's a big fan of bands like Pearl Jam and the White Stripes，so there's plenty of hard rock in his collection.

But chances are you’ll never get to it．The 21-year-old pizza cook，who asked to be identified by his online nickname，makes his songs available only through private file-sharing networks known as darknets．Unlike such public networks as Kazaa or Morpheus，which let you share songs with anyone，private networks operate more like underground nightclubs or secret societies．To gain access，you need to know the name of the group and a password．And the only way to get that information is from another member who invites you in．Some darknets even encrypt files and mask your identity within a group to keep eavesdroppers from finding out who you are and what you are sharing.

It's a handy invention now that the recording industry has taken to suing kids who share music online．But darknets are not just for digital music files．Carving out a bit of privacy online has wide appeal; students，community groups and even political dissidents can use these hidden networks to share projects，papers and information．One part of the allure is anonymity; the other is exclusivity．Since participation is limited，file searches don’t turn up a lot of junk or pornography．Darknets offer the convenience of the Web without a lot of the bad stuff.

You need special software to start a darknet of your own．The two most popular programs are Direct Connect by NeoModus（at neomodus.com）and an open-source variation of it called DC++，available at sourceforge.net．More than 800,000 copies of DC++ have been downloaded since mid-July．A third program，called Waste（also at sourceforge.net），automatically encrypts files but is much harder to use.

There are no good estimates of how many people use darknets．Lowtec，a college sophomore studying computer engineering，figures that 10% of the students at his school（which he declined to name）share files through Direct Connect．“It's much faster than Kazaa,” he says．That's because private networks typically link small，close-knit communities in which all members have superfast connections.

The recording industry so far hasn’t put much effort into combatting the secret networks，but its neglect might not last long．If networks like Kazaa become too risky，darknets could quickly rise to take their place．And if that happens，the music industry could find itself chasing users who are that much harder to catch.


注（1）：本文选自Time；

注（2）：本文习题命题模仿对象：第1、2、3、5题分别模仿2004年真题Text 4第1、2题，Text 1第2题和Text 3第5题；第4题模仿2006年真题Text 2第5题。



1．From the first two paragraphs，we learn that ______.

A) Muffin Man's songs will be available if you know his online nickname

B) outsiders cannot visit darknets without the invitation from a member

C) Kazaa is to darknets what the police are to underground world

D) it's impossible for people to find out your true identity on the darknets

2．Which of the following statements is TRUE according to the text?

A) Darknets are being accused by the recording industry of allowing kids to share music online.

B) People use darknets to share music mainly.

C) One advantage of darknets is that people can avoid reading unwanted information.

D) Users of private networks are mostly students.

3．The word“allure”（Line 4，Paragraph 3）most probably means ______.

A) advantage

B) achievement

C) feature

D) appeal

4．We can draw a conclusion from the text that ______.

A) darknets may become a headache of the music industry

B) the age of darknets is within reach

C) darknets may excel Kazaa in the number of its users very soon

D) the music industry will lose the battle against darknets

5．From the text we can see that the writer seems ______.

A) positive

B) negative

C) doubtful

D) uncertain





篇章剖析


本篇文章是一篇说明文，介绍了一种名为“地下网络”的私人文件共享网络。文章第一段介绍了在这种网络中活动的一位典型的用户；第二段介绍了这种地下网络的特点；第三段说明地下网络受人欢迎的原因；第四段说明如何创立自己的地下网络；第五段介绍了目前使用地下网络的情况；最后一段得出结论：这种网络有可能崛起并取代现有的一些共享音乐的公共网络。





词汇注释


encrypt/ ɪnˈkrɪpt/ v. 【计】加密，将…译成密码

eavesdropper /ˈiːvzˌdrɒpə(r)/ n. 偷听者

dissident /ˈdɪsɪdənt/ n. 持不同政见者

allure /əˈljʊə/ n. 诱惑力

anonymity /ˌænəˈnɪmɪti/ n. 匿名

exclusivity /ˌekskluːˈsɪvɪti/ n. 排外（主义）；排他性

pornography /pɔːˈnɒgrəfi/ n．色情资料





难句突破


Some darknets even encrypt files and mask your identity within a group to keep eavesdroppers from finding out who you are and what you are sharing.

主体句式：Some darknets encrypt files and mask your identity.

结构分析：本句是个复杂句，介词短语within a group作状语表范围，不定式短语作目的状语，在这个短语中有一个who和what引导的并列宾语从句作finding out的宾语。

句子译文：一些地下网络甚至在组织内部还要对文件进行加密，并且对你的身份进行伪装，以防好事之徒发现你的身份以及你所共享的内容。





题目分析


1．B 推理题。根据文章第二段“要想进入这样的网络，你需要知道该组织的名称以及密码。而唯有获得一位组织成员的邀请，你才能得到那些信息。”可以看出，外人要访问这些网络必须获得网络成员的邀请。C项意为“Kazza和地下网络的关系如同警察同地下世界一般”，这里包含一个句型A is to B what C is to D，从文章可知把Kazza换为唱片业，这种关系才成立。

2．C 细节题。文章第三段提到由于参与人数有限，文件搜索不会带来很多垃圾文件或者色情文件。继而总结darknets的好处是：既提供了网络的便利，又摆脱了网络的糟粕。所以避免读到讨厌的信息是darknets的一大优势。A项错是因为起诉的是那些网上共享音乐的孩子，而非darknets。

3．D 语义题。根据上文，第三段分析darknets为何受人欢迎。其中提到了“在网上留出隐私空间has wide appeal”，接着又探讨其他原因，一个是匿名性，一个是排外性，这都是the allure的一部分，可见allure的意思应该和appeal相近或者相同。

4．A 推理题。根据文章最后一段，作者假定如果音乐行业要起诉那些共享音乐的网络，公共网络可能由此停办，darknets将迅速崛起并取而代之，而音乐行业会发现他们追查的用户要难捉得多。可见darknets有可能成为令音乐行业头痛的事情。

5．A 情感态度题。根据文章的材料选择，基本上没有负面的材料，而且第三段在介绍darknets为何吸引人的时候，作者还讲到了这种私人网络“既提供了网络的便利，又摆脱了网络的糟粕”的优势。在结尾，作者说如果可以共享音乐的公共网络倒下，这种darknets就会迅速崛起并取而代之。可见作者对这种网络所持的是一种肯定的态度。





参考译文



“松糕人”的硬盘上存有2000多首歌曲，他很乐意和他人分享这些歌曲。他的收藏中有很多硬摇滚音乐，因为他是“珍珠果酱”以及“白色条纹”等乐队的超级粉丝。

不过你很可能永远也无法分享他的音乐收藏。这位21岁的比萨饼厨师要求只披露他的网名。他的歌曲只能通过一些所谓“地下网络”的私人文件共享网络获得。与卡泽（Kazaa）或者摩尔普斯（Morpheus）等允许所有人共享音乐的公共网络不同，私人网络的运作方法更像是地下夜总会或者秘密组织。要想进入这样的网络，你需要知道该组织的名称以及密码。而唯有获得一位组织成员的邀请，你才能得到那些信息。一些地下网络甚至在组织内部还要对文件进行加密，并且对你的身份进行伪装，以防好事之徒发现你的身份以及你所共享的内容。

由于唱片业现在开始起诉那些在网上共享音乐的孩子，这项发明就显得十分便利。不过地下网络不仅仅用于共享数字音乐文件。在网上拥有一些隐私是极具吸引力的事情；学生、社会团体，甚至持不同政见者都能利用这些隐秘的网络来共享方案、论文和信息。匿名性是这类网络的一大诱人之处；另外就是排外性。因为参与人数有限，因而文件搜索不会带来很多垃圾文件或者色情文件。地下网络既提供了网络的便利，又摆脱了网络的糟粕。

你需要特殊的软件才能创立一个自己的地下网络。两个最受欢迎的程序是由新方法（NeoModus）公司（网站地址neomodus.com）推出的“直接连接”（Direct Connect）和该程序的开放源码变本，即被称作DC++的程序，这两个程序都可以在sourceforge.net上找到。自从7月中旬以来，DC++的下载次数已经超过了800000次。第三个程序叫做“浪费”（Waste）（也能在sourceforge.net上找到），它能够自动给文件加密，但用起来比较困难。

很难估计到底有多少人在使用这些地下网络。“低技术”是一个计算机专业的大二学生，他认为他所在的学校（他拒绝透露该校名称）有10%的学生通过“直接连接”来共享文件。“它比卡泽要快得多，”他说。出现这种情况是因为私人网络连接的都是组织严密的小型社区，所有成员的网络连接速度都非常快的缘故。

目前唱片业还没有把太多精力花在打击秘密网络上来，但这种疏忽不会太久。如果像卡泽这样的网络面临太多风险的话，那么地下网络就会迅速崛起并取而代之。到那时候，音乐业会发现他们追查的用户要难捉得多。





Unit 34


It is a devastating prospect．Terrorists electronically break into the computers that control the water supply of a large American city，open and close valves to contaminate the water with untreated sewage or toxic chemicals，and then release it in a devastating flood．As the emergency services struggle to respond，the terrorists strike again，shutting down the telephone network and electrical power grid with just a few mouse clicks．Businesses are paralysed，hospitals are overwhelmed and roads are gridlocked as people try to flee.

This kind of scenario is invoked by doom-mongers who insist that stepping up physical security since the September 11th attacks is not enough．Road-blocks and soldiers around power stations cannot prevent digital terrorism．“Until we secure our cyber-infrastructure，a few keystrokes and an Internet connection is all one needs to disable the economy and endanger lives,” Lamar Smith，a Texas congressman，told a judiciary committee in February．He ended with his catchphrase:“A mouse can be just as dangerous as a bullet or a bomb.” Is he right?

It is true that utility companies and other operators of critical infrastructure are increasingly connected to the Internet．But just because an electricity company's customers can pay their bills online，it does not necessarily follow that the company's critical control systems are vulnerable to attack．Control systems are usually kept entirely separate from other systems，for good reason．They tend to be obscure，old-fashioned systems that are incompatible with Internet technology anyhow．Even authorised users require specialist knowledge to operate them．And telecoms firms，hospitals and businesses usually have contingency plans to deal with power failures or flooding.

A simulation carried out in August by the United States Naval War College in conjunction with Gartner，a consultancy，concluded that an“electronic Pearl Harbour” attack on America's critical infrastructure could indeed cause serious disruption，but would first need five years of preparation and $200m of funding．There are far simpler and less costly ways to attack critical infrastructure，from hoax phone calls to truck bombs and hijacked airliners.

On September 18th Richard Clarke，America's cyber-security tsar，unveiled his long-awaited blueprint for securing critical infrastructure from digital attacks．It was a bit of a damp squib，making no firm recommendations and proposing no new regulation or legislation．But its lily-livered approach might，in fact，be the right one．When a risk has been overstated，inaction may be the best policy.

It is difficult to avoid comparisons with the“millennium bug” and the predictions of widespread computer chaos arising from the change of date to the year 2000．Then，as now，the alarm was sounded by technology vendors and consultants，who stood to gain from scare-mongering．But Ross Anderson，a computer scientist at Cambridge University，prefers to draw an analogy with the environmental lobby．Like eco-warriors，he observes，those in the security industry—be they vendors trying to boost sales，academics chasing grants，or politicians looking for bigger budgets—have a built-in incentive to overstate the risks.


注（1）：本文选自Economist；

注（2）：本文习题命题模仿对象：第1、5题模仿2015年真题Text 3第1题，第2题模仿2010年真题Text 3第1题，第3题模仿2011年真题Text 4第1题，第4题模仿2001年真题Text 5第3题。



1．We learn from the first paragraph that ______.

A) terrorists could plunge a large American city into chaos through electronic attack

B) American people have no experience in dealing with terrorists

C) the computer systems of utility companies are rather vulnerable

D) the response from emergency services is far from satisfactory

2．Speaking of the doom-mongers，the author implies that ______.

A) their worries are quite reasonable

B) their warnings should be taken seriously

C) they exaggerate the threat utility companies are facing

D) they are familiar with the way terrorists strike

3．In the view of Gartner consultant，______.

A) terrorists may launch another“Pearl Harbor” attack

B) terrorists have ample capital and time to prepare a stunning strike

C) it is very costly and time-consuming to attack critical infrastructure

D) it is unlikely that terrorists would resort to electronic means to attack critical infrastructure

4．“Lily-livered approach”（Line 3，Paragraph 5）probably means an approach characterized by ______.

A) flexibility

B) boldness

C) cowardice

D) conservatism

5．We learn from the last paragraph that ______.

A) the computer industry suffered heavy loss due to the“millennium bug”

B) doom-mongers care more about their own interests than national security

C) computer scientists have better judgment than doom-mongers

D) environmentalists are criticized for their efforts of protecting environment





篇章剖析


本篇文章是一篇议论文，驳斥了恐怖分子会利用电子手段袭击公用事业公司和关键基础设施的观点。文章第一段是散布恐怖威胁论者所描绘的恐怖分子用电子手段进行恐怖袭击的场景；第二段介绍了他们所宣扬的观点；第三段反驳了对公用事业公司发动电子恐怖袭击的可能性；第四段以一次模拟演习的结论进一步佐证了恐怖分子不可能用电子手段对关键基础设施进行恐怖袭击的观点；第五段分析了散布恐怖威胁论的人的动机。





词汇注释


valve /vælv/ n. 阀门

contaminate /kənˈtæmɪneɪt/ vt. 弄脏；污染

sewage /ˈsju(ː)ɪdʒ/ n. 下水道，污水

paralyse /ˈpærəlaɪz/ vt. 使无力（无效）；使不活动

gridlocked /ˈgrɪdlɒkt/ adj. 交通拥堵的

scenario /sɪˈnɑːrɪəʊ/ n. 预料或期望的一系列事件的梗概或模式；场景

invoke /ɪnˈvəʊk/ vt. 借助，求助于；使用，应用

doom-monger /ˈduːmˈmʌŋgə/ n. 末世论者；散布恐怖威胁论的人

cyber /ˈsaɪbə/ prefix. 网络的

infrastructure /ˈɪnfrəstrʌktʃə(r)/ n. 基础设施

catchphrase /ˈkætʃfreɪz/ n．（政治宣传中的）标语；醒目的广告用语

utility /juːˈtɪlɪti/ n. 公用事业

obscure /əbˈskjʊə/ adj. 难懂的

incompatible /ˌɪnkəmˈpætəbl/ adj.（常与with连用）不相容的，矛盾的

authorise /ˈɔːθəraɪz/ vt. 授权；批准；认可

contingency /kənˈtɪndʒənsi/ n. 偶然；可能性；意外事故，可能发生的附带事件

conjunction /kənˈdʒʌnkʃən/ n. 联合

consultancy /kənˈsʌltənsi/ n. 顾问（工作）

disruption /dɪsˈrʌpʃən/ n. 破坏

hoax /həʊks/ n. 恶作剧；骗局

tsar /zɑː(r)/ n. =czar沙皇；〈口〉权威领导人

squib /skwɪb/ n. 爆竹

millennium /mɪˈlenɪəm/ n. 千禧年；太平盛世

vendor /ˈvendɔː; -də/ n. 小贩

analogy /əˈnælədʒi/ n. 类推；类比





难句突破


Like eco-warriors，he observes，those in the security industry—be they vendors trying to boost sales，academics chasing grants，or politicians looking for bigger budgets—have a built-in incentive to overstate the risks.

主体句式：He observes those have a built-in incentive.

结构分析：本句有一个较长的插入语，而且这个插入语本身是一个省略了should并采用倒装结构的虚拟条件句，所以整个句子理解起来有一定难度。

句子译文：他发现，就像那些环保卫士一样，从事安全工作的人——不论是想要促销产品的商人，还是渴望得到补助金的学者，抑或是期望更多预算的政客——都有一种内在的动机促使他们夸大危险。





题目分析


1．A 推理题。文章开头用了prospect一词，可见所描述的场景只是想象中未来可能发生的情景。这一段描述了恐怖分子用电子手段发动对美国大城市袭击后的混乱场景：企业瘫痪、医院爆满、道路堵塞等等。可见，如果这种袭击发生的话，一座美国的大城市就会陷入混乱。

2．C 推理题。Monger这个词本身就是一个贬义词，指一个持悲观论调、散布末世论的人。再看文章第三段，作者针对这种人散布的恐怖威胁论进行了分析，认为所谓公用事业公司的关键控制系统易受攻击的说法站不住脚。第四段作者引用一次模拟演习的结论，说电子恐怖袭击可能造成巨大破坏，但袭击的成本非常高，耗时也非常长，有远比这简单有效的办法。在文章末尾，作者引用计算机专家的话“those（people）...overstate the risk”。可见，作者虽然也承认这种威胁有可能存在，但认为这些doom-mongers夸大了威胁的程度。

3．D 细节题。文章第四段分析了电子恐怖袭击关键基础设施的说法站不住脚的另一个理由：通过模拟演习得出结论，这种袭击耗资巨大、耗时太长，恐怖分子完全可以采取更加简单有效成本低廉的袭击手段。可见，恐怖分子不太可能借助电子手段袭击关键基础设施。

4．C 语义题。根据上下文，Richard Clarke针对如何保护关键基础设施免遭数字化袭击提出了人们期待已久的计划，但这个计划就好像一个受潮的爆竹，既没有给出明确的建议，也没有提出新的规章或者法规。然后作者对这种做法用“lily-livered”一词加以总结，显然只有“胆小”一词最为贴切。

5．B 推理题。本文末段将现在的恐怖威胁论和“千年虫”恐慌加以对比，认为这种人为制造恐慌的做法只是为了让那些散布恐慌的人“stood to gain”。接着，作者引用一位专家的话，认为所有这些人都有一种内在的动机促使他们夸大危险。”由此可见，散布恐怖威胁论的人与其说是关心国家安全，不如说是关心自己的利益。