Unlike the real world, however, your knowledge about a person is limited to words on a computer screen. Identity and appearance mean very little in cyberspace . Rather, a person’s thoughts — or at least the thoughts they type — are what really count. So even the shyest person can become a chat-room star2 .

　　Usually, this“faceless”communication doesn’t create problems. Identity doesn’t really matter when you’re in a chat room discussing politics or hobbies. In fact, this emphasis on the ideas themselves makes the Internet a great place for exciting conversation. Where else can so many people come together to chat?

　　But some Internet users want more than just someone to chat with. They’re looking for serious love relationships. Is cyberspace a good place to find love? That answer depends on whom you ask. Some of these relationships actually succeed. Others fail miserably.

　　Supporters of online relationships claim that the Internet allows couples to get to know each other intellectually3 first. Personal appearance doesn’t get in the way4 . But critics of online relationships argue that no one can truly know another person in cyberspace. Why? Because the Internet gives users a lot of control over how others view them. Internet users can carefully craft their words to fit whatever image they want to give. And they don’t have to worry about what their“ nonverbal”communication is doing for their image . In a sense, they’re not really themselves.

　　All of this may be fine if the relationship stays in cyberspace. But not knowing a person is a big problem in a love relationship. With so many unknowns, it’s easy to let one’s imagination“ fill in the blanks. ”This inevitably leads to disappointment when couples meet in person . How someone imagines an online friend is often quite different than the real person.

　　So, before looking for love in cyberspace , remember the advice of Internet pioneer Clifford Stoll:“Life in the real world is far richer than anything you’ll find on a computer screen. ”

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　　練習題：

　　Ⅰ. True o r Fa lse :

　　The author believes cyberspace is suitable for doing things like:

　　1. asking for information

　　2. playing games

　　3. sharing hobby tips

　　4. buying and selling products

　　5. discussing politics

　　6. looking for friendship, or even love

　　Ⅱ. Question :

　　Why cannot a person know another one through Internet?

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　　參考答案

　　Ⅰ. 1. T 2. T 3. T 4. T 5. T 6. F

　　Ⅱ. Because the Internet gives users a lot of control over how others view them.

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　　參考譯文：

　　網絡交友

　　網 絡空間在許多方面反映了真實世界: 有人在里面找尋資料、玩游戲及分享興趣愛好的技巧。另一些人在里面買賣東西。更有人在里面找尋友誼, 甚至愛情。

　　但是不同于真實世界的是, 你對一個人的認知僅限于電腦熒幕上的文字。身份及外表在網絡空間里沒有太大的意義。反而, 一個人的思想——— 或至少他們在熒幕上所打出來的思想——— 才是真正重要的。所以即使一位最害羞的人也可以成為聊天室里的熱門人物。

　　通常這種“ 匿臉”溝通并不會產生問題。當你在聊天室討論政治或嗜好時, 身份并不那么重要。事實上, 這種對意見本身的強調讓互聯網絡成為一個精彩有趣的談話場所。世界上還有哪些地方可以讓這么多人一起閑聊?

　　但是有些互聯網絡使用者想要的并不只是聊天的對象。他們在找尋認真的戀愛關系。網絡空間是一個尋找愛情的好地方嗎? 那要看你問誰。這類戀情有些真的成功, 有些則悲慘地結束。

　　網絡戀情的支持者宣稱互聯網絡讓情侶先在思想上認識對方, 而個人外表不會造成阻礙。但是網絡戀情的批評者認為沒有人能夠真正在網絡空間了解一個人。為什么呢? 因為互聯網絡讓使用者輕易地操縱別人對他們的看法。互聯網使用者可以為了他們想要塑造的形象而精心推敲措辭, 且不用擔心他們的形象受到非語言方面的影響。就某種程度而言, 他們并不是真正的自己。

　　所 有這些都不是問題, 如果這種戀愛關系僅局限于網絡空間。但是在戀愛關系中不認識對方是個大問題。這么多的未知數很容易讓一個人憑想象力“ 填補空白”。這往往導致情侶碰面時不可避免地失望。一個人對網絡朋友的想象通常和真實的情況有很大的出入。

　　所以在網上找尋愛情之前, 先記得互聯網先驅克利佛· 斯托的忠告:“ 真實生活比任何電腦熒幕上找得到的東西要豐富得多。”