After reading the comments below, I must add the following. Usage of articles in English is not always easy to define by rules. Much, if not most of the usage is simply idiomatic. The more you practice, especially reading current literature or news within the past 25 years, the more you will get a "feel" for when to use the article and when not. In other words, my advice is not to try too hard to memorize the rules, because the rules will drive you crazy. Just practice, practice, practice!