In the last few years， our communications network has been growing at a very fast pace. The old fixed-line telephone has been replaced by mobile phones， Short Message Service (SMS)， e-mail and instant messaging (IM). And there are other new ways of communicating related to the Internet， such as blogs.
Different communication methods can playa different role. People are very good at choosing the best technology for each situation.
IM is used to tell you I miss you； e-mail is to organize our dinner； voice mail is to say， I’m late； and SMS to continue our talk on the way.
Landline phones are an open channel. That means people use them to talk about non-private things. That’s because other family members or colleagues have access to the phone.
Mobile phones are more for adding last-minute information.
SMS is used for close friends to keep in touch. It is very efficient and private. The messages are often related to personal secrets.
People often use e-mail for online communication with bigger social groups. That includes ordinary friends. Or it is used for exchanging pictures， music， and other content among a social network.
IM， such as MSN and QQ， is a continuous① channel. Users open an instant messaging channel for the day. Then they just keep it open while they do other activities.
Managing a blog is like creating your own independent club on the Internet for friends to visit. It is often the centre of a small group of friends who share the same hobbies.
Cost does help decide whether a new form of communication will be accessible to more people. But it is not the only reason. After all， the cost can be offset by convenience②. Since phone numbers can be stored in a cell phone’s memory， it’s easier to take the phone out of our pocket and push a button to make a call.
① continuousadj. 连续的，不断的
② conveniencen. 方便，合宜[U]；便利设施，方便的用具[C]
五花八门的联系方式
最近几年中，我们的联系网增长速度非常迅速。古老的固定电话已经被手机、短信息(SMS)、电子邮件和即使消息(IM)所取代。此外还有其它利用网络的新的联系方式，比如博客。
各种联系方式所承担的角色也不同。人们非常擅长根据具体场合选择最合适的联系方式。
使用及时通讯是要告诉你我想念你；用电子邮件是来安排晚餐；用语音邮件要说的则是，我迟到了；而短消息则是用来使我们的交谈继续下去。
固定电话表示着一种公开渠道。它意味着人们不用它来谈论私人事情。因为家里其他人或者是同事们也都听得到。
手机则更多用来通告紧急信息。
短消息是关系密切的朋友保持联系的方式。它极其高效又非常隐秘。发的消息通常都有关各人秘密。
人们通常使用电子邮件和广泛的社交性群体进行在线联系。普通朋友也包括在内。或者用电子邮件在个人的社交网中交换照片、音乐和其它东西。
及时消息诸如MSN和QQ是种可以持续进行的交流方式。使用者在一天伊始打开及时讯息，那么他们在做其它事情时都可以开着使用。
使用博客就如同创建了自己的一个独立的网上俱乐部，朋友们可以去参观。它通常会成为一小帮爱好相同的朋友们的聚点。
使用成本确实决定着一种新的联系方式是否为更多人所接受。但是，它并未是唯一的因素。毕竟这些花费会和使用上的便捷互为抵消。由于手机可以存储电话号码，从口袋里取出手机拨个电话号码显然就方便得多了。