2012年雅思考试阅读模拟试题(含答案)
SellingDigitalMusicwithoutCopy-protectionMakesSense
A.
Itwasuncharacteristicallylow-keyfortheindustry’sgreatestshowman. ButtheessaypublishedthisweekbySteveJobs, thebossofApple, onhisfirm’swebsiteundertheunassumingtitle “ThoughtsonMusic” hasnonethelessprovokedavigorousdebateaboutthefutureofdigitalmusic, whichAppledominateswithitsiPodmusic-playerandiTunesmusic-store. Atissueis “digitalrightsmanagement” (DRM)—thetechnologyguardingdownloadedmusicagainsttheft. SincethereisnocommonstandardforDRM, italsohastheside-effectthatsongspurchasedforonetypeofmusic-playermaynotworkonanother. Apple’sDRMsystem, calledFairPlay, isthemostwidespread. SoitcameasasurprisewhenMr. JobscalledforDRMfordigitalmusictobeabolished.
B.
ThisisachangeoftackforApple. IthascomeunderfirefromEuropeanregulatorswhoclaimthatitsrefusaltolicenseFairPlaytootherfirmshas “lockedin” customers. SincemusicfromtheiTunesstorecannotbeplayedonnon-iPodmusic-players (atleastnotwithoutalotoffiddling), anyiTunesbuyerwillbedeterredfromswitchingtoadevicemadebyarivalfirm, suchasSonyorMicrosoft. WhenFrenchlawmakersdraftedabilllastyearcompellingAppletoopenupFairPlaytorivals, thecompanywarnedof “state-sponsoredpiracy”. OnlyDRM, itimplied, couldkeepthepiratesatbay.
C.
ThisweekMr. JobsgaveanotherexplanationforhisformerdefenceofDRM: therecordcompaniesmadehimdoit. TheywouldmaketheirmusicavailabletotheiTunesstoreonlyifAppleagreedtoprotectitusingDRM. TheycanstillwithdrawtheircataloguesiftheDRMsystemiscompromised. ApplecannotlicenseFairPlaytoothers, saysMrJobs, becauseitwoulddependonthemtoproducesecurityfixespromptly. AllDRMdoesisrestrictconsumerchoiceandprovideabarriertoentry, saysMrJobs; withoutittherewouldbefarmorestoresandplayers, andfarmoreinnovation. So, hesuggests, whynotdoawaywithDRMandsellmusicunprotected? “Thisisclearlythebestalternativeforconsumers,” hedeclares, “andApplewouldembraceitinaheartbeat.”
D.
Whythesuddenchangeofheart? MrJobsseemschieflyconcernedwithgettingEurope’sregulatorsoffhisback. RatherthancomplainingtoAppleaboutitsuseofDRM, hesuggests, “thoseunhappywiththecurrentsituationshouldredirecttheirenergiestowardspersuadingthemusiccompaniestoselltheirmusicDRM-free.” Twoandahalfofthefourbigrecordcompanies, hehelpfullypointsout, areEuropean-owned. MrJobsalsohopestopainthimselfasaconsumerchampion. AppleresentsaccusationsthatithasbecometheMicrosoftofdigitalmusic.
E.
Applecanaffordtoembraceopencompetitioninmusicplayersandonlinestores. Consumerswouldgravitatetothebestplayerandthebeststore, andatthemomentthatstillmeansApple’s. MrJobsisevidentlyunfazedbyrivalstotheiPod. Sinceonly 3% ofthemusicinatypicaliTuneslibraryisprotected, mostofitcanalreadybeusedonotherplayerstoday, henotes. (AndeventheprotectedtrackscanbeburnedontoaCDandthenre-ripped.) SoApple’sdominanceevidentlydependsfarmoreonbrandingandeaseofusethanDRM-related “lockin”.
F.
ThemusicgiantsaretryingDRM-freedownloads. Lotsofsmallerlabelsalreadysellmusicthatway. Havingseenwhichwaythewindisblowing, MrJobsnowwantstobeseennotasDRM’sdefender, butasaconsumerchampionwhohelpedinitsdownfall. Wouldn’titleadtoasurgeinpiracy? No, becausemostmusicisstillsoldunprotectedonCDs, peoplewishingtostealmusicalreadycandoso. Indeed, scrappingDRMwouldprobablyincreaseonline-musicsalesbyreducingconfusionandincompatibility. Withtheleadingonlinestore, Applewouldbenefitmost. MrJobs’sargument, inshort, istransparentlyself-serving. Italsohappenstoberight.