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阅读理解
The Internet dates back to 1969, when the U．S．Department of Defense decided to build an experimental network to make sure of computer-based command in the event of a nuclear attack．As the time went by, public and commercial networks in North America and Europe joined the system, and the expanding giant was born．
Until ten years ago, the Internet was actually the private fields of scientists and university students．During recent years, curious private citizens and businesses are crowding onto the Internet at a speed that is doubling its size every year．
Now computer networks have spread to form a giant global web．Some 100 million people from over 140 countries around the world have logged on to the Internet, a system linking tens of thousands of networks filled with information, discussion and entertainment．Millions of web pages contained in a great number of sites are commonly used to exhibit a mixture of texts, graphics, sounds and video clips, as well as links to other web pages．
On a typical day, data, as much as several million 250-page books, will pour through the Internet．Stored in the system are huge amounts of scholarly and scientific data, government documents and public records, airline timetables, weather reports, the full text of the Bible, and thousands of newspapers and magazines from around the world．
The Internet used can reach about 14,000 discussion forums(known as news groups)covering everything from medicine to sports, Chinese culture and French wines．By creating communities of people sharing common Internets, computer networks are making their influence felt in schools, in the business world, in politics and government．
What’s ahead?More convenience．In the next century, many commercial activities that require you to queue up in front of service counters, like paying bills or shopping, will be completed electronically through the information superhighway．You can do it at home and at any time．In the meantime, the rapid developing computer networks, by helping millions of users to work, learn and have fun online, are providing preview of the electronic future．
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