When Jennifer, who lives in Pasadena, Calif., wants to send an E-mail message from her home computer to her mother in Washington, D.C., she uses a local Internet service provider (ISP) such as EarthLink Network Inc. (ELNK).

• 珍妮弗住在加州帕萨迪纳，当她想要用家里的计算机给住在哥伦比亚特区华盛顿市的母亲发一封电子邮件时，她使用当地诸如EarthLink Network inc.；这样的因特网服务提供商（ISP）。