Clearly if we are to participate in the society in which we live, we must communicate with other people. A great deal of communicating is performed on a person-to-person basis by the simple means of speech. If we travel in buses, buy things in shops, or eat in restaurants, we are likely to have conversations where we give information or opinions, receive news or comment, and very likely to have our views challenged by other members of society.
Face to face contact is by no means the only form of communication and during the last two hundred years the art of mass communication has become one of the dominating factors of contemporary society. Two things, above others, have caused the enormous growth of the communication industry. Firstly, inventiveness has led to advanced imprinting, telecommunications photography, radio and television. Secondly, speed has revolutionized the transmission (传输) and reception of communications so that local news often takes a back seat to national news, which itself is often almost eclipsed( 侵蚀) by international news.
No longer is the possession of information confined to(只限于) a privileged minority. In the last century the wealthy man with his own library was indeed fortunate, but today there are public libraries. For years ago people used to flock to the cinema, but now far more people sit at home and turn on the TV to watch a programme that is being channeled into millions of homes.
Communication is no longer merely concerned with the transmission of information. The modem communication industry influences the way people live in society and broadens their horizons by allowing access to information, education and entertainment. The printing, broadcasting and advertising industries are all involved with informing, educating and entertaining.
Although a great deal of the material communicated by the mass media is very valuable to the individual and to the society of which he is part, the vast modem network of communications is open to abuse(滥用). However, the mass media are with us for better, for worse, and there is no turning back.
小题1:In the first paragraph the writer emphasizes the of face-to-face contact in social setting.
A.nature
B.limitation
C.creativity
D.usefulness
小题2:It is implied in the passage that .
A.local news used to be the only source of information
B.local news still takes a significant place
C.national news is becoming more popular
D.international news is the fastest transmitted news
小题3:Which of the following statements is NOT true?
A.Possessing information used to be a privilege.
B.Public libraries have replaced the private completely.
C.Communication means more than transmission.
D.Information influences ways of life and thinking.
小题4:From the last paragraph we can infer that the writer is .
A.indifferent to the harmful influence of the mass media
B.happy about the flexible changes in the mass media
C.pessimistic about the future of the mass media
D.concerned about the wrong use of the mass media
小题1:D
小题2:A
小题3:B
小题4:D
试题分析：
小题1:D 段落大意题。根据第一段A great deal of communicating is performed on a person-to-person basis by the simple means of speech.说明在过去很多的交流都是通过面对面的交流实现的。故本段讲述的是面对面交流的重要性。故D正确。
小题2:A 推理题。根据第二段最后两行local news often takes a back seat to national news, which itself is often almost eclipsed( 侵蚀) by international news.说明对方性的新闻通常的信息的唯一来源。故A正确。
小题3:B 细节题。根据文章第三段第二行In the last century the wealthy man with his own library was indeed fortunate, but today there are public libraries.说明过去有私人的图书馆，现在有公立的图书馆，但是并没有说公立图书馆代替了私人图书馆，故B说法错误。
小题4:D 推理题。根据最后一段2,3行the vast modem network of communications is open to abuse(滥用).说明现在的人滥用这些现代化的交流网络。说明作者很担心这样的事情。故D正确。
点评：文章讲述了随着时代的发展，人们的交流方式也在发生在巨大的变化，从面对面的交流转换到了多样化的方式。但是现在很多人都在滥用这些交流方法，引起了作者的担心。