八年级上册英语周报外研版第十一期2021—2022

八年级上册英语周报外研版第十一期2021—2022

When we worry about who might be spying on our private lives, we usually think about the Federal agents. But the private sector outdoes the government every time. It’s Linda Tripp, not the FBI, who is facing charges under Maryland’s laws against secret telephone taping. It’s our banks, not the Internal Revenue Service (IRS), that pass our private financial data to telemarketing firms.

Consumer activists are pressing Congress for better privacy laws without much result so far. The legislators lean toward letting business people track our financial habits virtually at will.

As an example of what’s going on, consider U.S. Bancorp, which was recently sued for deceptive practices by the state of Minnesota. According to the lawsuit, the bank supplied a telemarketer called Member Works with sensitive customer data such as names, phone numbers, bank-account and credit-card numbers, social security numbers, account balances and credit limits.

With these customer lists in hand, Member Works started dialing for dollars-selling dental plans, videogames, computer software and other products and services. Customers who accepted a “free trial offer” had 30 days to cancel. If the deadline passed, they were charged automatically through their bank or credit-card accounts. U.S. Bancorp collected a share of the revenues.

Customers were doubly deceived, the lawsuit claims. They didn’t know that the bank was giving account numbers to Member Works. And if customers asked, they were led to think the answer was no.

The state sued Member Works separately for deceptive selling. The company denies that it did anything wrong. For its part, U.S. Bancorp settled without admitting any mistakes. But it agreed to stop exposing its customers to nonfinancial products sold by outside firms. A few top banks decided to do the same. Many other banks will still do business with Member Works and similar firms.

And banks will still be mining data from your account in order to sell you financial products, including things of little value, such as credit insurance and credit-card protection plans.

You have almost no protection from businesses that use your personal accounts for profit. For example, no federal law shields “transaction and experience” information-mainly the details of your bank and credit-card accounts. Social Security numbers are for sale by private firms. They’ve generally agreed not to sell to the public. But to businesses, the numbers are an open book. Self-regulation doesn’t work. A firm might publish a privacy-protection policy, but who enforces it?

Take U.S. Bancorp again. Customers were told, in writing, that “all personal information you supply to us will be considered confidential.” Then it sold your data to Member Works. The bank even claims that it doesn’t “sell” your data at all. It merely “shares” it and reaps a profit. Now you know.

1.Contrary to popular belief, the author finds that spying on people’s privacy ________.

A. is practiced exclusively by the FBI

B. is more common in business circles

C. has been intensified with the help of the IRS

D. is mainly carried out by means of secret taping

2.We know from the passage that ________.

A. the state of Minnesota is considering drawing up laws to protect private information

B. most states are turning a blind eye to the deceptive practices of private businesses

C. legislators are acting to pass a law to provide better privacy protection

D. lawmakers tend to give a free hand to businesses to inquire into customers’ buying habits

3.When the “free trial” deadline is over, you’ll be charged without notice for a product or service if ________.

A. you happen to reveal your credit card number

B. you fail to cancel it within the specified period

C. you fail to apply for extension of the deadline

D. you find the product or service unsatisfactory

4.Businesses do not regard information concerning personal bank accounts as private because ________.

A. it is considered “transaction and experience” information is not protected by law

B. it has always been considered an open secret by the general public

C. its sale can be brought under control through self-regulation

D. its revelation will do no harm to consumers under the current protection policy

八年级上册英语周报外研版第十一期2021—2022试题答案

1.B

2.D

3.B

4.A

【解析】

试题分析：文章大意：文章主要探讨我们作为消费者的隐私信息恰恰是金融部门泄露而非政府行为，因此应加强在金融活动中对个人隐私相关法律的建立健全。

1.细节理解题题。根据第一段中“It’s Linda Tripp, not the FBI, who is facing charges under Maryland’s laws against secret telephone taping. It’s our banks, not the Internal Revenue Service (IRS), that pass our private financial data to telemarketing firms.判断出正是银行等金融机构在泄露我们的隐私。

2.细节理解题。根据第第二段可以判断出针对商家在消费者方面的信息获取法律方面没有限定，故选D。

3.细节理解题。根据第第四段中“If the deadline passed, they were charged automatically through their bank or credit-card accounts. U.S. Bancorp collected a share of the revenues”,可以判断出金融机构会利用时间上的限定来获取利益，故选B。

4. 细节理解题。 根据第八段中“You have almost no protection from businesses that use your personal accounts for profit. For example, no federal law shields “transaction and experience” information-mainly the details of your bank and credit-card accounts.”可以判断出商家之所以不认定个人信息作为隐私主要是因为法律上没有支持， 故A正确。

考点：考查生活知识阅读

Honey from the African forest is not only a kind of natural sugar, it is also delicious.

Most people, and many animals, like eating it. However, the only way for them to get that honey is to find a wild bees’ nest and take the honey from it. Often, these nests are high up in trees, and it is difficult to find them. In parts of Africa, though, people and animals looking for honey have a strange and unexpected helper – a little bird called a honey guide.

The honey guide does not actually like honey, but it does like the wax in the beehives (蜂房). The little bird cannot reach this wax, which is deep inside the bees’ nest. So, when it finds a suitable nest, it looks for someone to help it. The honey guide gives a loud cry that attracts the attention of both passing animals and people. Once it has their attention, it flies through the forest, waiting from time to time for the curious animal or person as it leads them to the nest. When they finally arrive at the nest, the follower reaches in to get at the delicious honey as the bird patiently waits and watches. Some of the honey, and the wax, always falls to the ground, and this is when the honey guide takes its share.

Scientists do not know why the honey guide likes eating the wax, but it is very determined in its efforts to get it. The birds seem to be able to smell wax from a long distance away. They will quickly arrive whenever a beekeeper is taking honey from his beehives, and will even enter churches when beeswax candles are being lit.

1.Why is it difficult to find a wild bees’ nest?

A. It’s small in size. B. It’s hidden in trees.

C. It’s covered with wax. D. It’s hard to recognize.

2.What do the words “the follower” in Paragraph 2 refer to?

A. A bee. B. A bird.

C. A honey seeker. D. A beekeeper.

3.The honey guide is special in the way .

A. it gets its food B. it goes to church

C. it sings in the forest D. it reaches into bees’ nests

4.What can be the best title for the text?

A. Wild Bees B. Wax and Honey

C. Beekeeping in Africa D. Honey-Lover’s Helper

八年级上册英语周报外研版第十一期2021—2022试题答案

1.B

2.C

3.A

4.D

【解析】

试题分析: 本文主要介绍了一种帮助人们寻找到蜂蜜的鸟儿a honey guide的情况

1.B细节题。根据文章第一段第2行Often, these nests are high up in trees, and it is difficult to find them.可知这些蜂巢都在高高的树上，所以很难找到，故B正确。

2.C推理题。根据第二段提到Once it has their attention, it flies through the forest, waiting from time to time for the curious animal or person as it leads them to the nest. When they finally arrive at the nest, the follower reaches in to get at the delicious honey as the bird patiently waits and watches.可知这里的follower就是指那些寻找蜂蜜的人，故C正确。

3.A推理题。这种鸟儿非常喜欢蜂巢里的蜡，但是它们得到这些蜡的过程却是非常的独特。通过吸引别人来找到蜂巢，再等到自己的食物，故A正确。

4.D主旨大意。文章通篇都在叙述有关Honey-Lover’s Helper的事情，第一段通过叙述引出Honey-Lover’s Helper中心词；第二段叙述Honey-Lover’s Helper获取蜂蜡的过程；第三段科学家们对Honey-Lover’s Helper感到迷惑，故D符合文意。

考点：日常生活类短文。

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