It was reported last week that developers could take photos from Apple mobile and Google Android devices without the phone owners knowing that the images were being taken. In Apple's case, developers can also obtain the location information for each photo. Senator Charles Schumer said in a telephone interview that his office had spoken with officials at both Apple and Google on Monday. "We asked them if they could find a way on their own to prevent Apple from having access to private information," Mr. Schumer said. "They were friendly and open to the idea that this ought to be changed." On Sunday, Mr. Schumer said that he planned to send a letter to the Federal Trade Commission asking the agency to investigate Apple and Google after the privacy concerns came to light. Claudia Bourne Farrell, an F.T.C. spokeswoman, said the agency had received the letter but she could not comment further. "It worries people to think that one's personal photos, address book, and who knows what else can be obtained and even posted online without permission," Mr. Schumer wrote in his letter to the F.T.C. "If the technology exists to open the door to this kind of privacy invasion , then surely technology exists to close it, and that's exactly what must happen." Mr. Schumer said if Apple and Google could not come to an agreement to fix the problem, then he would be forced to take the issue further. He said other companies had been willing to work with his office to fix issues. "I'm optimistic that we can get this changed without any regulation," he said. "If it's not changed, then we'll turn to the F.T.C., and if that doesn't work then we'llconsider legislative approach." The F.T.C. has warned companies to try to be more vigilant in their efforts to protect consumers when it comes to privacy. If the privacy concerns can't be solved with the help of the F.T.C., _ . A) The senators will turn to legislation. B) The companies will be closed. C) The companies will be fined. D) The senators will force the companies not to invade privacy.
A
In England, afternoon tea is the most informal meal of a day. It is taken between four and five. If you are a friend of the family, you may come for tea at any time. Very often it is not taken at a table. The members of the family and visitors take the tea in the sitting room. Each person has a cup and saucer , a spoon and a small plate for bread and butter and cakes. By the way, do not help yourself to cakes first, bread and butter first, and then cake. Do remember: Though you can eat as much as you want, do not put more than one piece of bread or cake on your plate each time. If you want to have afternoon tea in a friend's home,_. A) you must send a message before you go B) you must take food with you C) you must go only when he asks you to D) you may put only one piece of bread or cake on your plate each time
D
Q: Technology has totally transformed our ability to communicate with each other. Linking to each other both literally and figuratively, many of us connect through cell phones, email, instant messaging, blogs, and networking web sites, yet we may be less connected to each other than we think. According to a study, Americans are becoming increasingly socially isolated . The study suggests, for example, that one quarter of Americans say that they have no one to discuss important personal issues with, and that the number of close friends that Americans have has dropped from three to two. Meanwhile, the Boston Globe reports that this spreading isolation is experienced more sharply among those with less education, people of color, and older Americans. Unsurprisingly, those who are young, white, and well educated tend to have stronger social networks. From my own experience I have to say that I've never felt more connected, thanks to a web of friends, family, and colleagues. One of my closest friends is someone I met through an online discussion group who lives hundreds of miles away from me. We have met face-to-face only twice, yet our regular electronic correspondence and cell phone calls maintain our close friendship. And, speaking of blogging, my blog has introduced me to people I would never have met otherwise and has led to enduring and important friendships. On the other hand, I recently saw a scene unfold that proved to me how deeply disconnected we as Americans have become. I had just wrapped up a presentation on mediation at a family therapy center. As I was leaving, I noticed a mother and her teenage son who had just completed their session with their family therapist. After making their next appointment, they both took out their cell phones, placed calls, and began loud conversations with whoever was on the other end. I walked out behind them to the parking lot to my car. They both jumped into their cars, and, as I saw them drive off, they were still talking on their cell phones. But, alas, not to each other. The author probably feels _ with the mother and son. A) puzzled B) disappointed C) amused D) surprised
A: D
(Question)
A chip inserted in a young quadriplegic's brain is already improving his quality of life. Soon the benefits may be more widespread. A 25-year-old man unable to move from the neck down recently did what many assumed impossible. After a knife attack that had left him paralyzed, all he could move was his head, which he used to push a switch and call for a nurse. And he could turn his wheelchair by blowing into a straw near his face. That was it. Then last June, a Foxborough (Mass.) company called Cyber Kinetics opened the man's skull and inserted a special chip no larger than a baby aspirin. That insert has given him a few additional and precious abilities. When connected to a special computer via a cable, the chip translates the young man's thoughts into commands that let him move a cursor across a PC screen and open e-mail. He can draw a circle with a computer painting program. And he can use a robotic hook to perform simple tasks like picking up a candy and sliding it across a table. All he has to do is to think. Several new studies have begun or been completed in the past year. In fact, more than half of the scientific papers in this field, called brain-to-computer interaction (BCI), have been published in the past two years, notes Jonathan Wolpaw, a research physician at Wadsworth Center, the New York State Health Dept.'s research laboratory. Brain surgeries are no longer rare: Thousands of Parkinson's disease patients have had special devices inserted in their brains to ease uncontrollable shaking and other symptoms. The inserts themselves have improved, so the body doesn't reject them as furiously . And significant development has been achieved in software used to interpret the brain's signals and change them into commands understood by computers. But increased demand for thought technology remains the biggest reason for the field's progress. Today, 4 million Americans live with paralysis according to the Christopher Reeve Paralysis Foundation. Scientists hope that thought technology will... What is the passage mainly about? A) Communications gap B) Thought technology C) Brain surgeries D) Human brains
(Answer)
B