1、雅思阅读考试真题172019年雅思考试模考巩固练习试题六 Selling Digital Music without Copy-protection Makes Sense A. It was uncharacteristically low-key for the industrys greatest showman. But the essay published this week by Steve Jobs, the boss of Apple, on his firms website under the unassuming title “Thoughts on Music” ha
2、s nonetheless provoked a vigorous debate about the future of digital music, which Apple dominates with its iPod music-player and iTunes music-store. At issue is “digital rights management” (DRM)the technology guarding downloaded music against theft. Since there is no common standard for DRM, it also
3、 has the side-effect that songs purchased for one type of music-player may not work on another. Apples DRM system, called FairPlay, is the most widespread. So it came as a surprise when Mr. Jobs called for DRM for digital music to be abolished. B. This is a change of tack for Apple. It has come unde
4、r fire from European regulators who claim that its refusal to license FairPlay to other firms has “locked in” customers. Since music from the iTunes store cannot be played on non-iPod music-players (at least not without a lot of fiddling), any iTunes buyer will be deterred from switching to a device
5、 made by a rival firm, such as Sony or Microsoft. When French lawmakers drafted a bill last year compelling Apple to open up FairPlay to rivals, the company warned of “state-sponsored piracy”. Only DRM, it implied, could keep the pirates at bay. C. This week Mr. Jobs gave another explanation for his
6、 former defence of DRM： the record companies made him do it. They would make their music available to the iTunes store only if Apple agreed to protect it using DRM. They can still withdraw their catalogues if the DRM system is compromised. Apple cannot license FairPlay to others, says Mr Jobs, becau
7、se it would depend on them to produce security fixes promptly. All DRM does is restrict consumer choice and provide a barrier to entry, says Mr Jobs; without it there would be far more stores and players, and far more innovation. So, he suggests, why not do away with DRM and sell music unprotected?
8、“This is clearly the best alternative for consumers,” he declares, “and Apple would embrace it in a heartbeat.” D. Why the sudden change of heart? Mr Jobs seems chiefly concerned with getting Europes regulators off his back. Rather than complaining to Apple about its use of DRM, he suggests, “those
9、unhappy with the current situation should redirect their energies towards persuading the music companies to sell their music DRM-free.” Two and a half of the four big record companies, he helpfully points out, are European-owned. Mr Jobs also hopes to paint himself as a consumer champion. Apple rese
10、nts accusations that it has become the Microsoft of digital music. E. Apple can afford to embrace open competition in music players and online stores. Consumers would gravitate to the best player and the best store, and at the moment that still means Apples. Mr Jobs is evidently unfazed by rivals to
11、 the iPod. Since only 3% of the music in a typical iTunes library is protected, most of it can already be used on other players today, he notes. (And even the protected tracks can be burned onto a CD and then re-ripped.) So Apples dominance evidently depends far more on branding and ease of use than
12、 DRM-related “lock in”. F. The music giants are trying DRM-free downloads. Lots of smaller labels already sell music that way. Having seen which way the wind is blowing, Mr Jobs now wants to be seen not as DRMs defender, but as a consumer champion who helped in its downfall. Wouldnt it lead to a sur
13、ge in piracy? No, because most music is still sold unprotected on CDs, people wishing to steal music already can do so. Indeed, scrapping DRM would probably increase online-music sales by reducing confusion and incompatibility. With the leading online store, Apple would benefit most. Mr Jobss argume
14、nt, in short, is transparently self-serving. It also happens to be right. Questions 1-7 Do the following statemets reflect the claims of the writer in Reading Passage 1? Write your answer in Boxes 1-7 on your answer sheet. TRUE if the statement reflets the claims of the writer FALSE if the statement
15、 contradicts the claims of the writer NOT GIVEN if it is impossbile to say what the writer thinks about this 1. Apple enjoys a controlling position in digital music market with its iPod music-player and iTunes music-store. 2. DRM is a government decree issued with a purpose to protect downloaded mus
16、ic from theft by consumers. 3. Lack of standardization in DRM makes songs bought for one kind of music player may not function on another. 4. Apple has been criticized by European regulators since it has refused to grant a license FairPlay to other firms. 5. All music can be easily played on non-iPo
17、d music devices from Sony or Microsoft without too much fiddling. 6. Apple depends far more on DRM rather than branding for its dominance of the digital music devices. 7. If DRM was cancelled, Sony would certainly dominate the international digital music market. Questions 8-10 Choose the appropriate
18、 letters A-D and write them in boxes 8-10 on your answe sheet. 8. Which of the following statements about Mr. Jobs idea of DRM is NOT TRUE? A. DRM places restrictions on consumer choice of digital music products available. B. DRM comples iTunes buyers to switch to a device made by Sony or Microsoft.
19、 C. DRM constitutes a barrier for potential consumers to enter digital music markets. D. DRM hinders development of more stores and players and technical innovation. 9. The word “unfazed” in line 3 of paragraph E, means_. A. refused B. welcomed C. not bothered D. not well received 10. Which of the f
20、ollowing statements is TRUE if DRM was scapped? A. Sony would gain the most profit. B. More customers would be “locked in”. C. A sudden increase in piracy would occur. D. Online-music sales would probably decrease. Questions 11-14 Complete the notes below. Choose NO MORE THAN THREE WORDS from Readin
21、g Passage 1 for each answer. Write your answers in boxes 11-14 on your answer sheet. Mr. Steve Jobs, the boss of Apple, explains the reason why he used to defend DRM, saying that the company was forced to do so： the record companies would make their music accessible to 11.only if they agreed to prot
22、ect it using DRM; they can still12if the DRM system is compromised. He also provides the reason why Apple did not license FairPlay to others： the company relies on them to 13.But now he changes his mind with a possible expectation that Europes regulators would not trouble him any more in the future.
23、 He proposes that those who are unsatisfactory with the current situation in digital music market should 14 towards persuade the music companies to sell their music DRM-free. Part II Notes to Reading Passage 1 1. low-key： 抑制的，受约束的，屈服的 2. showman： 展开览会的人, 出风头的人物 3. unassuming： 谦逊的, 不夸耀的, 不装腔作势的 4. iP
24、od： (苹果公司出产的)音乐播放器 5. iTunes store： (苹果公司出产的)在线音乐商店 6. get off persons back： 不再找某人的麻烦，摆脱某人的纠缠 7. gravitate： 受吸引，倾向于 8. unfazed： 不再担忧，不被打扰 Part III Keys and explanations to the Questions 1-13 1. TRUE See the second sentence in Paragraph A “ the future of digital music, which Apple dominates with its
25、iPod music-player and iTunes music-store.” 2. FALSE See the third sentence in Paragraph A “At issue is “digital rights management” (DRM)the technology guarding downloaded music against theft.” 3. TRUE See the fourth sentence in Paragraph A “Since there is no common standard for DRM, it also has the
26、side-effect that songs purchased for one type of music-player may not work on another.” 4. TRUE See the second sentence in Paragraph B “It has come under fire from European regulators who claim that its refusal to license FairPlay to other firms has “locked in” customers.” 5. NOT GIVEN The third sen
27、tence in Paragaph B only mentions music from the iTunes store, nothing about that of Sony or Microsoft. “Since music from the iTunes store cannot be played on non-iPod music-players (at least not without a lot of fiddling).” 6. FALSE See the last sentence in Paragraph E “So Apples dominance evidentl
28、y depends far more on branding and ease of use than DRM-related “lock in”. 7. NOT GIVEN See the fourth sentence in Paragraph F only mentions music generally, no particular information about business prospect of Sony “Indeed, scrapping DRM would probably increase online-music sales by reducing confus
29、ion and incompatibility.” 8. B See the fourth sentence of Paragraph C “All DRM does is restrict consumer choice and provide a barrier to entry, says Mr Jobs; without it there would be far more stores and players, and far more innovation.” 9. C See the third sentence of Paragraph E and the context “M
30、r Jobs is evidently unfazed by rivals to the iPod. Since only 3% of the music in a typical iTunes library is protected, most of it can already be used on other players today.” 10. A See the last four sentences of Paragraph F “Wouldnt it lead to a surge in piracy? No, because most music is still sold
31、 unprotected on CDs, people wishing to steal music already can do so. Indeed, scrapping DRM would probably increase online-music sales by reducing confusion and incompatibility. With the leading online store, Apple would benefit most.” 11. the iTunes store See the second sentence of Paragraph C “They would make their music available to the iTunes store only if Apple agreed to protect it using DRM.” 12. withdraw their catalogues See the third sentence of Paragraph C “They can still withdraw their catalogues if the DRM system is compromised.” 13. produce security fixes See the
