High 2 · Reading series
Lesson 19 · The Price of a Free App
Audio track 19
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Listen once before opening the English passage.
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I found a free app that turned homework deadlines into a colorful calendar. Before recommending it to my class, I read its permission screen. It asked for access to my contacts and location, although the calendar seemed to need neither.
The company's explanation said the data would improve its services. That phrase did not tell me exactly which data would be stored or for how long. I compared two alternatives. One cost a small amount but worked without an account; another offered fewer features and requested only reminders.
I did not decide that every free app was unsafe. I made a table of what each app offered, what information it collected, and whether I could remove that information later. My classmate chose the simple option; I used a paper planner for another month.
“Free” described the price at installation. It did not describe every possible cost. Reading the conditions helped us choose according to our own needs instead of the brightest screen.
Check your understanding
After reading, state the main idea in one sentence and find a line that supports it.
Chinese translation
我找到一款免费应用，能把作业截止日期变成彩色日历。推荐给全班前，我读了它的权限页面。应用要求读取联系人和位置信息，虽然日历似乎都不需要。
公司说明称，收集资料是为了改进服务。但这句话没有讲明究竟会存什么、存多久。我比较了两个替代选择：一个要付一点钱，却无需注册账号；另一个功能较少，只请求提醒权限。
我没有断言所有免费应用都不安全，而是列了一张表：每款提供什么、收集什么信息、日后能否删除这些信息。同学选择了功能简单的那款；我则又用了一阵纸质计划本。
‘免费’说的是安装时的价格，不是全部可能付出的代价。读清条件，让我们能按自己的需要选择，而不是被最亮眼的屏幕吸引。
Key words and expressions
Key terms have Chinese explanations. Hover over dotted words in the English passage for word help and pronunciation when available.
- deadlines
- 截止日期；应用用于整理作业期限。
- permission
- 权限；应用要求读取资料。
- access
- 访问权；联系人和位置被请求。
- location
- 位置；日历似乎用不到。
- stored
- 存储；公司未说清期限。
- alternatives
- 替代方案；两款应用与纸本可比较。
- features
- 功能；不同应用提供的不一样。
- collected
- 收集；需要知道哪些资料会被取得。
- installation
- 安装；免费只描述这一刻的价格。
- conditions
- 条件；选择前应读清。
Background notes (Chinese)
下载价格为零，不代表个人数据的使用没有代价。文中学生查看应用权限和保存期限，比较功能与数据要求，再分别作选择。