NEWS

Jan.14 2006

NEWS worthy Clips

Update your vocabulary with new clips from around the world

Staying wired: where to find hookups on the road

It was 1996. Doug Lansky was in a phone booth in South America, trying to hook up a tele-coupler—an ancient, bizarre-looking device intended to connect a computer to the Internet via a telephone’s headpiece—and pumping coins into the phone.

“Meanwhile,” says Lansky, a travel writer, “the line at the pay phone gets long and everyone thinks you’re some sort of CIA operative.”

Thankfully, these days it’s much easier to get online—no matter where you are.

In the wireless age, most major cities have numerous wireless hot spots where travelers with devices such as notebooks and PDAs can get connected. Some of these are free, such as those provided by municipalities. Most major airports, too, have added wireless—though usually for a fee.

Throughout the United States, many hotels and coffee shops offer WiFi. Worldwide, most mid-range and deluxe hotels today offer some form of Internet service, whether it’s in a business center or in your room. Pricing varies widely, so it’s worth asking before you book.

In Europe, many hotels also have a free Internet station in the lobby for quick e-mail checks. And in busy backpacker destinations worldwide, Internet cafes are plentiful and relatively cheap.

Finding an Internet café can be tougher in a cosmopolitan city like Stockholm or L.A., where many locals have computers in their homes. But when you can find an Internet café, you generally get more than just a computer—you get a hangout. “There’s coffee and people,” says Bryan Markkannen, part-owner of an Internet café.

For a cheap connection in the U.S., try the public libraries, says Lansky. Most libraries provide computers with Internet connections for free. But the service can be quite popular, and some libraries enforce time limits on Web browsers.

Vocabulary focus

Municipality (n) 市政府；市政当局 a city or town with its own local government

Book (v) 预订 to arrange to have a seat, room or entertainer at a particular time in the future

Cosmopolitan (adj) 国际性的；世界性的 composed of people from, or at home in, many parts of the world, especially not provincial in attitudes or interests

Specialized Terms

CIA (Central Intelligence Agency) (n) 美国中央情报局 a US government organization that secretly collects information about other countries

Operative (n) 情报员 a person who works secretly for an organization

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

1. Do you have a favorite Internet café? If so, are you able to study and work there, or do you primarily socialize there?

2. Do you take your computer with you everywhere you go, including on vacation? How long can you go without checking your e-mail? Explain.

3. Some cities, such as San Francisco, are discussing the possibility of having citywide wireless capabilities. Would this be a realistic goal for your city? Why or why not?