After a fortnight of extraordinary type, the much-feared puter virus that was supposed to strike the globe’s hard drives last Friday simply fizzled. So many warnings were sounded that most puter owners either fed anti-virus programs into their systems or refused to turn the power on during the dreaded M-day. They dodged one disease, but more strains are on the way. The eponymous Friday-the-13th virus is due to strike this week, and the Maltese Amoeba may detonate on March 15.
Who creates these things? A disproportionate number seems to originate in Bulgaria or Russia, where writing the smallest, most elegant virus programs has bee a matter of quirky pride. Viruses are transmitted either by shared disks (as was Michelangelo) or over telephone lines. The virus program hides in a puter until, activated by a date, time, or some other trigger, it springs to life. The most mon virus, Stoned, makes your screen announce: “Your puter is now stoned. Legalize marijuana. ” (Regardless of your politics, you don’t want this one around; it can damage your files inadvertently.) Solution: either keep your puter isolated—no trading disks, no on-line munication—or else install one of a dozen or so mercially available anti-virus programs that detect and delete the little time bombs. If they can e up with a virus that is hidden, will they next try to extort a business?—as in, pay me $1 million or my virus will destroy your system.
In the meantime, money is being made by firms selling anti-virus programs. Egghead software stores logged a 3,000 percent jump in anti-virus sales. Was the threat overblown by the panies that make millions selling anti-virus software? Thanks to the media blitz, no one will ever know what might have happened—an unallied number of puter owners discovered and deleted Michelangelo before it was supposed to strike—on the artist’s birthday.
【小题1】The much-feared M-day was .A．Friday-the-13th when the eponymous virus was due to strikeB．Friday-the-15th when the Maltese Amoeba would be activatedC．the previous Friday when Michelangelo virus was due to strikeD．the previous Friday which coincided with the artist's birthday【小题2】Computer viruses are .A．diseases spread from one puter to another by shared disksB．viruses hidden in a puter’s instructions by the designersC．little time bombs hidden in a puter waiting to be triggeredD．just those puter programs created by malevolent designers【小题3】Which of the following sayings fits the Michelangelo virus?A．A burnt child dreads the fire.B．The bug’s bark was worse than its bite.C．A barking dog seldom bites.D．Once bitten, twice shy.【小题4】The author implies that in days to e the viruses might be used .A．to destroy dataB．to mit crimesC．to mit mischiefD．to create confusionC
网友回答
(答案→)C
解析：
13. C 事实细节题。由文章第 1 句中的 last Friday 可知答案。
14. D 推理判断题。根据一般常识，电脑病毒肯定是由搞恶作剧的人设计的电脑程序。文章的第 2 段有较为详细的叙述。
15. B 推理判断题。该病毒可以被认为是“臭虫狂吠，但并无恶意”。
16. B 事实细节题。第 2 段的最后两句话就是答案。