1.According to the passage, what did the new U.S. survey find? In fact, ... has disappeared.

 

2.What was Geraldine Laybourne surprised at in terms of technology? ... between men and women.

 

3.What did advertisers need to ensure? They addressed women's ... of technology.

 

Diamonds are no longer a girl’s best friend, according to a new U.S. study. The survey, commissioned by U.S. cable television’s Oxygen Network that is owned and operated by women, found the technology gender gap has virtually closed with the majority of women snapping up new technology and using it easily. Women were found on average to own 6.6 technology devices while men own 6.9, and four out of every five women felt comfortable using technology with 46 percent doing their own computer trouble-shooting. Geraldine Laybourne, chairman and chief executive of Oxygen Network，said that people made the assumption that women were not as advanced as men when it came to technology. She felt surprised at the parity men and women now have in terms of technology. The Girls Gone Wired survey of 1,400 women and 700 men aged 15 to 49, which was conducted by market researcher TRU, found that given the choice, women would opt for tech items rather than luxury items like jewelry or vacations. The study found 77 percent of women surveyed would prefer a new plasma television to a diamond necklace and 56 percent would opt for a new plasma TV over a weekend vacation in Florida. The study found over the next five years women see themselves increasing their activities in six tech areas：digital cameras, cell phones, e-mail, camera phones, text messaging and instant messaging. Laybourne said this increasing use of technology among women was expected to continue —with advertisers needing to ensure they addressed women’s increased usage and knowledge.