http://blog.sina.com.cn/s/blog_48304007010080sa.html

older people in particular are often surprised by the speed with which the internet’s “next big thing” can cease being that. it even happens to rupert murdoch, a seventy-year-old media mogul. two years ago he bought myspace, a social-networking site that has BECome the world’s largest. the other day, however, mr murdoch was heard lamenting that myspace appears already to be last year’s news, because everybody is now going to facebook, the second-largest social network on the web, with 31m registered users at the last count. =G0_zns}nf5\+vG [ 本 资 料 来 源 于 贵 州 学 习 网 考研一方考研英语 http://Www.gzU521.com ] =G0_zns}nf5\+vG

facebook was started in 2004 by mark zuckerberg, a student at harvard and not even 20 at the time, along with two of his friends. the site requires users to provide their real names and e-mail addresses for registration, and it then links them up with current and former friends and colleagues with amazing ease. each facebook “profile” becomes both a repository of each user’s information and photos, and a social place where friends gossip, exchange messages and “poke” one another.

facebook is generating so much excitement this summer that bloggers are comparing mr zuckerberg to steve jobs, the charismatic boss of apple, and calling his company “the next google” on the assumption that a stockmarket listing must be soon. it may be. mr zuckerberg has rejected big offers from new- and old-media giants such as yahoo! and viacom. one of his three sisters, who also works for facebook, has posted a silly video online that makes fun of yahoo!’s takeover bid and sings about “going for ipo”. and facebook has advertised for a “stock administration manager” with expertise in share regulations.

and yet mr zuckerberg insists that he is “a little bit surprised about how focused everybody is on the ‘exit’.” the truth is that he is sick of talking about it. the venture capitalists backing facebook may want to cash out, but mr zuckerberg is only 23 and doesn’t need the money. he also happens to believe—rather as google’s young founders do—that he can, and should, change the world.

facebook is distinctive in several ways. first, it is currently considered classier than, say, myspace. one academic researcher argues that facebook is for “good kids”, whereas myspace is for blue-collar kids and “gangstas”. facebook’s roots are indeed college students. mr zuckerberg started facebook at harvard, after all. from there it spread to other elite universities, and it only opened up to the general population last september.

mr zuckerberg, however, thinks that the bigger difference is that facebook is now becoming a “platform”. by this he means that it is evolving into a technology on top of which others can build new software tools and businesses. in may mr zuckerberg opened facebook up for outsiders to do just that, promising that any advertising revenues that third parties collect within facebook are theirs to keep. already, thousands of little tools have been created that allow facebook users to share and discover music, play sudoku, lend each other money, and so on.

注（1）：本文选自economist, 07/21/2007

注（2）：本文习题命题模仿对象为2004年真题text 1。

1． what is rupert murdoch’s attitude towards the popularity of facebook?

  [a] reserved consent

    [b] enthusiastic support

    [c] strongly alarmed

    [d] slight contempt

2． which of the following is not the good reason to use facebook?

  [a] one can use false name to register.

    [b] one can find high school classmates easily.

    [c] one can have interesting communication with friends.

    [d] one can share pictures and other materials.1|#8)x"x/4%h$e[ 此文转贴于我的学习网考研一方考研英语 http://www.Gzu521.com]1|#8)x"x/4%h$e

3． the expression “mr zuckerberg is only 23 and doesn’t need the money” (line 3, paragraph 4) most probably indicates _______.

  [a] mr zuckerberg does not like money

    [b] mr zuckerberg is too young to have too much money.

    [c] mr zuckerberg does not need money for maintaining facebook.

    [d] mr zuckerberg is young enough to afford any failure and start again.

4． what can we learn from paragraph 5?

  [a] myspace is more welcomed by college students.

    [b] facebook is popular among those of higher education.

    [c] both myspace and facebook are gaining popularity in universities.

    [d] both myspaced and facebook are always open to the public.

5． what is the author’s attitude towards the development of facebook?

    [a] negative

    [b] supportive

    [c] objective

    [d] apprehensive