Questions 36 to 40 are based on the followingpassage. Um z b
When we worry about who might be spying onour private lives, we usually think about the Federal agents. But the privatesector outdoes the government every time. It’s Linda Tripp, not the FBI, who isfacing charges under Maryland’s laws against secret telephone taping. It’s ourbanks, not the Internal Revenue Service (IRS), that pass our private financialdata to telemarketing firms. tK/,U
= +
Consumer activists are pressing Congress forbetter privacy laws without much result so far. The legislators lean towardletting business people track our financial habits virtually at will. $\/^O94-l
As an example of what’s going on, considerU.S. Bancorp, which was recently sued for deceptive practices by the state ofMinnesota. According to the lawsuit, the bank supplied a telemarketer calledMember Works with sensitive customer data such as names, phone numbers,bank-account and credit-card numbers, Social Security numbers, account balancesand credit limits. #ley3rJW]
With these customer lists in hand, MemberWorks started dialing for dollars-selling dental plans, videogames, computersoftware and other products and services. Customers who accepted a “free trialoffer” had 30 days to cancel. If the deadline passed, they were chargedautomatically through their bank or credit-card accounts. U.S. Bancorpcollected a share of the revenues. !vpXXI4
Customers were doubly deceived, the lawsuitclaims. They, didn’t know that the bank was giving account numbers toMemberWorks. And if customers asked, they were led to think the answer was no. f sw[ R0B
The state sued MemberWorks separately fordeceptive selling. The company denies that it did anything wrong. For its part,U.S. Bancorp settled without admitting any mistakes. But it agreed to stopexposing its customers to nonfinancial products sold by outside firms. A fewtop banks decided to do the same. Many other banks will still do business withMemberWorks and similar firms. I=< Qpd4
And banks will still be mining data from youraccount in order to sell you financial products, including things of littlevalue, such as credit insurance and credit-card protection plans. (s&]V49
You have almost no protection from businessesthat use your personal accounts for profit. For example, no federal law shields“transaction and experience” information-mainly the details of your bank andcredit-card accounts. Social Security numbers are for sale by private firms.They’ve generally agreed not to sell to the public. But to businesses, thenumbers are an open book. Self-regulation doesn’t work. A firm might publish aprivacy-protection policy, but who enforces it? ~"J1 @<
Take U.S. Bancorp again. Customers were told,in writing, that “all personal information you supply to us will be consideredconfidential.” Then it sold your data to MemberWorks. The bank even claims thatit doesn’t “sell” your data at all. It merely “shares” it and reaps a profit.Now you know. o 7tUv"Rs
36. Contraryto popular belief, the author finds that spying on people’s privacy ________. DQP!e6 Of
A) is practiced exclusively by the FBI s2|.LmC3|B
B) is more prevalent in business circles _E'}8.#{
C) has been intensified with the help ofthe IRS ' v
CMf
D) is mainly carried out by means ofsecret taping（B） &p_ iAMn:9
37. Weknow from the passage that ________. !uIY ,
A) the state of Minnesota is consideringdrawing up laws to protect private information
^-- R#$X
B) most states are turning a blind eye tothe deceptive practices of private businesses w2X HY>6];
C) legislators are acting to pass a lawto provide better privacy protection (GpP=lSSeY
D) lawmakers are inclined to give a freehand to businesses to inquire into customers’ buying habits（D） ;]m;p,$
38. Whenthe “free trial” deadline is over, you’ll be charged without notice for aproduct or service if ________. kBrA ?
A) you happen to reveal your credit cardnumber FGyrDRDwC
B) you fail to cancel it within thespecified period KU
oAxA
C) you fail to apply for extension of thedeadline |gu@b~8
D) you find the product or serviceunsatisfactory（B） `5wiXsNjLY
39. Businessesdo not regard information concerning personal bank accounts as private because________. YsVKd h
A) it is considered “transaction andexperience” information unprotected by law wEX<[#a-
B) it has always been considered an opensecret by the general public j
n SZ@u
C) its sale can be brought under controlthrough self-regulation f" *4R
kG
D) its revelation will do no harm toconsumers under the current protection policy（A） O-W[^r2e
40. Wecan infer from the passage that ________. hFr+K1
A) banks will have to change their waysof doing business ^lZ7% 6
B) “free trial” practice will eventuallybe banned
%r.C9
C) privacy protection laws will soon beenforced 5EI"5&`*
D) consumers’ privacy will continue to beinvaded（D） cl&?'`
)
36. B U;
<{P
37. D 85[
7lO)[
38. B =LK`m NA
39. A >yT1oD0+x
40. D I{U | 'a
