The Internet is very often (1)_ C. compared ____ to a highway where we
are free to explore in any direction without boundaries. But the freedom we can
enjoy on the Net
(2)_ B. has also raised ____ a large number of unexpected issues, such
as the controversy surrounding MP3 files and websites like Napster. The MP3
format (3)_ B. has been ____ used since the mid-90s and it enables users to
store music in a compressed form on a computer. Napster (4)___ D. was created __
by Shawn Fanning and his friends in Boston in 1998. It was the first free
website to help its users swap MP3 music files over the Net. Since it was
forced to close down in 2001, a number of other similar sites like
Gnutella or Kazaa have been created by Fanning’s successors, who are often
labelled as hackers by their adversaries.
The activities of Fanning and his followers (5)_ A. have been
interpreted ____ in different ways over the years. Many believe record
companies are right when they say that these websites have seriously violated
copyright and individual property rights. Many of the creators of these
homepages have been (6)_ B. sued _____ and, as in Napster’s case, frequently
with success. Others, however, (7)_ A. regard _____ these “hackers” as freedom
fighters of the digital age who just want to provide free music without
worrying too much about copyright. This attitude then is criticized (8)_ C. in _____
turn by people who are simply concerned about the ethical values of today’s
young people. They worry that there is a whole generation that is growing up
unable to see the difference between right and wrong.