Passage Three  Questions 31 to 35 are based on the following passage:

In managing information resources, the medium may be the key to an effective system. The medium is a vehicle, a tool, or  holding information; the information itself is the thing of value.

Three popular categories of information media are paper, films and electronic storage devices. The media choice must not be viewed as a choice among these three, however; it must be viewed as an opportunity to select from a multitude of media possibilities in combinations that build effective systems. In many instances the person responsible for information resource management is not the person who determines the medium in which information will be created. In such a case, the manager of a firm’s information resources faces a challenge in making a significant contribution to the organization’ s objectives.

For effective management of information resources, media conversion² may be necessary. Examples include keying or scanning pager documents to convert them to electronic media. Other processes convert electronic media from one format¹ to another. For example, disk files created on one system may not be compatible with another system. Various hardware and software combinations can be used to convert files to formats³ that equipment will accept. For information generated within organizations, this necessity of making systems compatible may be eliminated by cooperative planning. However, very little control can be exercised over the media used to generate information that comes to your organization from the outside.The medium for information may be selected to satisfy a need that exists when information is created and communicated. For example, a person record may be created because of its portability and because no special equipment is necessary for later references to that information; electronic transmission may be selected because it is the fastest means of communicating information. A firm may use electronic mail because a network already exists for on-line computer communication. The additional application may cost less than postage to .

31.Which of the following can best sum up the passage
A) Media Selection in Managing Information Resources.
B) The Importance and Necessity of Media Conversion.
C) Three Categories of Information Media.
D) Various Means of Communicating Information.

32.The first paragraph aims at telling the reader____.
A) the importance of information resources management
B) the relationship between the medium and information
C) the great variety of media for holding information
D) the numerous resources of information

33.Which of the following statements is true according to the author
A) Paper is the best storage device.
B) People have three choices in selecting information medi
C) It is better to let the person responsible for information resource management determine media.
D) The manager should build an effective system by selecting a good combination of different media.

34.For effective management of information resources, the manager should ____.
A) convert all paper documents to electronic media
B) make media conversion when necessary
C) control the media used to generate information both inside and outside his organization
D) use one format in processing information

35.The main idea of the last paragraph is that ____.
A) paper record is the most convenient medium or later reference
B) electronic mail costs less than postage to
C) different media for information may be selected for different purposes
D) by using different media, a firm can create various information for its objectives

内容概要:本文讨论的是信息与媒介之间的关系问题。媒介是信息的载体，而信息本身是有价值的。媒介在管理信息资源方面起关键作用。应根据不同的目的来选择不同的信息媒介。

31．【答案】A。【译文】下面哪一句话能最好地总结本篇短文？【试题分析】主旨理解题。【详细解答】本文的主题句分别在第一段和最后一段的第一句：In managing information resources, the medium may be the key to an effective system.（媒介在管理信息资源方面是有效系统的关键。）The medium for information may be selected to satisfy a need that exists when information is created and communicated.（可以挑选信息媒介来满足创造、交流信时业已存在的需要。）从这两句话就可以简单地得出本篇短文的主题句：Media Selection in Managing Information Resources（挑选媒体来管理信息资源）。
32．【答案】B。【译文】第一段的目的是告诉读者媒介与信息之间的关系。【试题分析】段落主旨题。【详细解答】本段很形象地说明了两者之间的关系： The medium is a vehicle, a tool, or  holding information; the information itself is the thing of value. (媒介是装载信息的车辆、工具和容器；而信息本身是有价值的东西。)

33．【答案】D。【译文】根据作者的观点，下面哪一句话是正确的？【试题分析】是非判断题。【详细解答】本题主要涉及对短文第二段的理解。A）显然不对，纸只是一种储存设备，但不是最好的储存设备；B）也不正确，短文第二段说有三种储存设备，但选择媒介不能只是其中的某一种，而是多种媒介的综合体； C）也是错的，不是说最好让负责管理信息资源的人来决定媒介，在很多情况下，负责管理信息资源的人不是决定创造信息媒介的人；只有D）对，管理者应该通过挑选好的不同信息组合来建立一个有效的系统。这一点与解释选项D时是一致的。

34．【答案】B。【译文】为了有效管理信息资源，管理者应该在需要时进行媒介转换。【试题分析】细节推理题。【详细解答】短文第三段第一句说得非常清楚： For effective management of information resources, media conversion may be necessary.

35．【答案】C。【译文】最后一段的中心思想是根据不同的目的来选择不同的信息媒介。【试题分析】段落主旨题。【详细解答】本段的第一句谈到了这一点： The medium for information may be selected to satisfy a need that exists when information is created and communicated. 紧接着作者通过几个例子来具体说明这一中心思想。