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Caught in the Web

A few months ago, it wasnt unusual for 47-year-old Carla Toebe to spend 15 hours per day online. Shed wake up early, turn on her laptop and chat on Internet dating sites and instant-messaging programs-leaving her bed for only brief intervals. Her household bills piled up, along with the dishes and dirty laundry, but it took near-constant complaints from her four daughters before she realized she had a problem.

I was starting to feel like my whole world was falling apart-kind of slipping into a depression, said Carla. I knew that if I didnt get off the dating sites, Id just keep going, detaching (使脱离) herself further from the outside world.

Toebes conclusion: She felt like she was addicted to the Internet. Shes not alone.

Concern about excessive Internet use isnt new. As far back as 1995, articles in medical journals and the establishment of a Pennsylvania treatment center for overusers generated interest in the subject. Theres still no consensus on how much time online constitutes too much or whether addiction is possible.

But as reliance on the Web grows, there are signs that the question is getting more serious attention. Last month, a study published in CNS Spectrums claims to be the first large-scale look at excessive Internet use. The American Psychiatric Association may consider listing Internet addiction in the next edition of its diagnostic manual. And scores of online discussion boards have popped up on which people discuss negative experiences tied to too much time on the Web.

Theres no question that therere people whore seriously in trouble because theyre overdoing their Internet involvement. said psychiatrist (精神科医生) Ivan Goldberg. Goldberg calls the problem a disorder rather than a true addition.

Jonathan Bishop, a researcher in Wales specializing in online communities, is more skeptical. The Internet is an environment, he said. You cant be addicted to the environment. Bishop describes the problem as simply a matter of priorities, which can be solved by encouraging people to prioritize other life goals and plans in place of time spent online.

The new CNS Spectrums study was based on results of a nationwide telephone survey of more than 2,500 adults. Like the 2005 survey, this one was conducted by Stanford University researchers. About 6% of respondents reported that their relationships suffered because of excessive Internet use. About 9% attempted to conceal nonessential Internet use, and nearly 4% reported feeling preoccupied by the Internet when offline.

About 8% said they used the Internet as a way to escape problems, and almost 14% reported they found it hard to stay away from the Internet for several days at a time.

The Internet problem is still in its infancy, said Elias Aboutjaoude, a Stanford professor. No single online activity is to blame for excessive use, he said. Theyre online in chat rooms, checking e-mail, or writing blogs. [The problem is] not limited to porn (色情) or gambling websites.

Excessive Internet use should be defined not by the number of hours spent online but in terms of losses, said Maressa Orzack, a Harvard University professor. If its a loss [where] youre not getting to work, and family relationships are breaking down as a result, then its too much.

Since the early 1990s, several clinics have been established in the U. S. to treat heavy Internet users. They include the Center for Internet Addiction Recovery and the Center for Internet Behavior.

The websites for Orzacks center lists the following among the psychological symptoms of computer addictions:

● Having a sense of well-being (幸福) or excitement while at the computer.

● Longing for more and more time at the computer.

● Neglect of family and friends.

● Feeling empty, depressed or irritable when not at the computer.

● Lying to employers and family about activities.

● Inability to stop the activity.

● Problems with school or job.

Physical symptoms listed include dry eyes, backaches, skipping meals, poor personal hygiene (卫生) and sleep disturbances.

People who struggle with excessive Internet use maybe depressed or have other mood disorders, Orzack said. When she discusses Internet habits with her patients, they often report that being online offers a sense of belonging, and escape, excitement [and] fun, she said. Some people say relief…because they find themselves so relaxed.

Some parts of the Internet seem to draw people in more than others. Internet gamers spend countless hours competing in games against people from all over the world. One such game, called World of Warcraft, is cited on many sites by posters complaining of a gaming addiction.

Andrew Heidrich, an education network administrator from Sacramento, plays World of Warcraft for about two to four hours every other night, but thats nothing compared with the 40 to 60 hours a week he spent playing online games when he was in college. He cut back only after a full-scale family intervention (干预), in which relatives told him hed gained weight.

Theres this whole culture of competition that sucks people in with online gaming, said Heidrich, now a father of two. People do it at the expense of everything that was a constant in their lives. Heidrich now visits websites that discuss gaming addiction regularly to remind myself to keep my love for online games in check.

Toebe also regularly visits a site where posters discuss Internet overuse. In August, when she first realized she had a problem, she posted a message on a Yahoo Internet addiction group with the subject line: I have an Internet Addiction.

m self-employed and need the Internet for my work, but Im failing to accomplish my work,to take care of my home, to give attention to my children, she wrote in a message sent to the group.I have no money or insurance to get professional help; I cant even pay my mortgage (抵押贷款) and face losing everything.

Since then, Toebe said, she has kept her promise to herself to cut back on her Internet use. I have a boyfriend now, and Im not interested in online dating, she said by phone last week. Its a lot better now.

注意：此部分试题请在答题卡2上作答。

46. In one of the messages she posted on a website, Toebe admitted that she had an Internet addition.

47. Excessive Internet use had rendered Toebe so poor that she couldnt afford to seek professional help.

48. Jonathan Bishop believes that the Internet overuse problem can be solved if people can realize what is important in life.

49. According to Professor Maressa Orzack, Internet use would be considered excessive if it seriously affected family relationships.

50. According to Orzack, people who struggle with heavy reliance on the Internet may feel puzzled.

51. Andrew Heidrich cut back online gaming because his family had intervened.

52. Andrew Heidrich now visits websites that discuss online gaming addiction to curb his desire for online gaming.

53. Now that shes got a boyfriend, Toebe is no longer crazy about online dating.

54. Her daughters repeated complaints made Carla Toebe realize she was spending too much time on the Internet.

55. People havent yet reached agreement on excessive Internet use.

参考答案：

46. H)由埋干定位到H段，其提到当特贝首次意识到她有问题时，她在雅虎上网成瘾群里发了一个帖子，名为I have an Internet Addiction《我有网络成痛问题》,与题干相符?因此选H。

47. I)由埋干定位到文章I段,其提到特贝是一个自由职业工作者，由于过度上网，她不能完成自己的工作，以至于没有钱或保险来获得专业帮助，与题干相符，因此选K

48. C)根据题干信息词Jonathan Bishop和solved将答案定位到C段。该段提到，通过鼓励人们优先考虑其他生活目标和计划而不是上网冲浪，这个问题是可以得到解决的，与题干相符，因此选C.

49. E)由埋干知文中相关部分在E段,其中马里萨?奥萨克教授提到，过度上网不应该根据上网的时间来界定，而要根据它所造成的损失来定义。如果上网导致的损失是你不再上班、家庭关系破裂，那么你就上网过度了，与题干相符，因此选E。’

50. F)题干中的people who struggle with 定位到文中People who struggle with excessive Internet use maybe depressed orhave other mood disorders, Orzack said.与题干相符，因此选F。

51. G)根据题干信息词Andrew Heidrich将答案定位到G段。Gg中提到，Andrew Heidrich上大学时,每周花在《魔兽世界》上的时间长年40到60 时，直到他的家人对其进疗全面干预后,他才减玩《魔螯世界》4时间，与题干相符，因此选G: ?

52 H)球由题干亨,位到文中H段，其提到，现在Heidrich命(定期访问—些讨论游踔成瘾的网站以提醒自己控制对网游的喜爱,与题干相符，因此选H,

53. I)由题干定辑到1段，其提到特贝表示我现在有男朋友彳对在线交友没有仗名兴趣了,与题干相符，因此选I.

54. A),凑段提到，卡拉?特贝每天要花15个小时上网,不太管家里的事情。直到她女儿不断地向她抱怨，她才意识到自己有何题,与题干相符，因此选A。

55. B) People haven’t yet reachedagreement on its definition.是对B 段的，其中，People havent yet reached agreement on 对应There’s still no consensuson, its definition 则是对how muchtime online constitutes too much(多长时间的上网算是过量)的概括，与题干相符，因此选B.

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