Question

Having finished her homework, Ma Li wants some music for relaxation^①. As usual, she starts her computer and goes to Baidu.com to download music files. But this time she is surprised when an announcement about protecting songs’ copyright bursts onto the screen. The age of free music and movie downloads may have come to an end as Web companies like Baidu are accused of pirating copyright. Lawsuits^② have been filed against four websites offering free downloads. In September 2005, a Beijing court ordered Baidu to pay recording company Shanghai Push compensation for their losses. Baidu was also told to block the links to the pirated music on the website. This caused a heated discussion on Interact file sharing.

“Baidu’s defeat in the lawsuit shows it is not right to get copyrighted songs without paying. Downloaders may face lawsuits or fines,” said an official.

Like many teens, Huang Ruoru, an 18-year-old girl from Puning in Guangdong Province, doesn’t think that getting music from websites is wrong. She always shares her favourite songs downloaded from Baidu with her friends. When told about the lawsuit, she began to feel a little guilty about obtaining others’ work without paying.

However, other teenagers have different ideas. Wang Yafei, a Senior 2 girl from Jinan, Shandong Province pointed out that file sharing is a good way to promote pop singers. “If I download a song and really like it, I will buy the CD,” she said. “So what the recording companies really should concentrate on is improving their music, rather than pursuing^③ file-sharers.”

Notes:

relaxation  n. 娱乐

lawsuit  n. 诉讼

pursue  vt. 追赶，追击

Choose the best answers according to the above:

Which of the following best describes the passage?

A. Music on the Internet is of better quality. B. Downloading material can be illegal.

C. It’s good to get free music on the Internet.      D. Baidu is a popular web company.

The four web companies were put to court because _________.

A. they got copyrighted songs without paying           

B. they downloaded copyrighted music for people

C. they make copyrighted files for free downloads

D. they offer free music on line

How do some of the teenagers feel while downloading free music after the lawsuit?

A. A bit guilty.        B. A little sad.      C. Extremely angry.   D. Awfully sorry.

What’s the advantage of tile sharing for recording companies?

A. Getting more money from web companies.    

B. Enabling people to download favorite songs.

C. Helping to improve the music.               

D. Making pop singers more popular.

It can be inferred from the text that _________.

A. Web companies are still ignoring the copyright laws.

B. Teenagers haven’t got money to buy CDs.

C. Teenagers are probably still downloading free music.

D. Teenagers prefer CDs with copyright to pirated music.

Answer 1

【小题1】B

【小题2】C

【小题3】A

【小题4】D

【小题5】C

解析:

【小题1】主旨大意题。其他选项都太片面，只有B能较好概括文章的内容。

【小题2】 细节理解题。根据第一段的句子Lawsuits have been filed against four websites offering free downloads.可知这四家网络公司被起诉的原因。

【小题3】细节理解题。从第三段最后一句可知正确答案。

【小题4】细节理解题。从最后一段第二句…pointed out that file sharing is a good way to promote pop singers.可知正确答案。

【小题5】 推理判断题。其他选项与文章内容不符。