Invisibility Ring

　　Scientists can’t yet make an invisibility cloak1 like the one that Harry Potter2 uses.But，for the first time，they’ve constructed a simple cloaking device that makes itself and somethingplaced inside it invisible to microwaves.

　　When a person “sees” an object，his or her eye senses many different waves of visiblelight as they bounce off the object.The eye and brain then work together to organize thesesensations and reconstruct the object’s original shape. So，to make an object invisible，scientists have to keep waves from bouncing off it.And they have to make sure the objectcasts no shadow.Otherwise，the absence of reflected light on one side would give the obiectaway.

　　Invisibility isn’t possible yet with waves of light that the human eye can see.But it is nowpossible with microwaves.Like visible light，microwaves are a form of radiant energy.Theyare part of the electromagnetic spectrum，which also includes radio waves，infrared light，ultraviolet rays，X rays，and gamma rays.The wavelengths of microwaves are shorter thanthose of radio waves but longer than those of visible light.

　　The scientists’ new “invisibility device” is the size of a drink coaster and shaped like aring.The ring is made of a special material with unusual ability.When microwaves strike thering，very few bounce off it.Instead，they pass through the ring，which bends the waves allthe way around until they reach the opposite side.The waves then return to their originalpaths.

　　To a detector set up to receive microwaves on the other side of the ring，it looks as if thewaves never changed their paths as if there were no object in the way! So，the ring is effectively invisible.

　　When the researchers put a small cdpper loop inside the ring，it，too，is nearly invisible. However，the cloaking device and anything inside it do cast a pale shadow.And the deviceworks only for microwaves，not for visible light or any kind of electromagnetic radiation.So，Harry Potter’s invisibility cloak doesn’t have any real competition yet.

　　词汇：

　　invisibility/invizE5biliti/n.看不见，无形 spectrum/5spektrEm/n.光谱

　　cloak/klEuk/斗篷，披风 infrared/5infrE5red/adj.红外线的

　　microwave/5maikrEuweiv/n.微波 ultraviolet ray 紫外线

　　reconstruct/5ri:kEn5strQkt/v.重建 gamma ray 伽马射线

　　radiant/5reidjEnt/adj.辐射的 wavelength/5weivleNW/n.波长

　　electromagnetic/IlektrEJ5mA^nItIk/adj.电磁的coaster/5kEustE(r)/n.托盘，垫子

　　练习：

　　1.Harry Potter is mentioned in the passage，because scientists

　　Acan now make an invisible cloak of the same kind as he uses.

　　Btry to make an invisible cloak of the same kind as he uses.

　　Ctry to invent a device Similar in idea to the invisible cloak he uses.

　　Dknow that it is possible to make an invisible cloak of the same kind.

　　2.What is true of microwaves?

　　ATheir wavelengths are shorter than those of visible light.

　　BTheir wavelengths are longer than those of visible light.

　　CThey are different from visible light as they are a kind of radiant energy.

　　DThey are visible to the human eye.

　　3.What is NOT true of the invisibility device?

　　AIt is made of a special material with unusual ability.

　　BMicrowaves bounce off it when they strike it.

　　CMicrowaves pass through it when they strike it.

　　DIt bends the microwaves all the way around until they reach the opposite

　　side.

　　4.What does the word “coaster” mean in the passage?

　　AA disk or plate placed under a drinking glass to protect a table top.

　　BA vessel engaged in coastal trade.

　　CA roller coaster.

　　DA resident of a coastal area.

　　5.Harry Potter’s invisibility cloak doesn’t have any real competition yet，

　　because

　　Ascientists have not found out how his cloak works.

　　Bthe cloaking device is a total failure.

　　Cthe cloaking device works only for microwaves.

　　Dthe cloaking device works only for visible light.

　　答案与题解：

　　1.C文章的第一段告诉我们，科学家还没有发明哈里・波特使用的那种隐身衣，所以不能选 A;该段还告诉我们，科学家已制造了，一种装置，这种装置能使自身或置于其中的物体不被微波发现，所以C是正确选择，也就是说，科学家发明的隐形装置和哈里波特的隐身衣仅仅在概念上相同，这同时说明B和D是错误的选择。

　　2.B第三段最后一句中告诉我们，A是错误选择，B是正确选择。该段第三句说，微波与可见光一样都是一种辐射能，所以C的说法是错误的，不能选择;根据该段第一句：with wavesof light that the human eye can see和第三句：Like visible light，可以得知D是错误的说法，也不能选择。

　　3.B第四段第三句说，当微波到达装置表面时，very few bounce off。very few是几乎没有的意思，所以选择B。其他选择所述内容都可以很容易在该段中找到。

　　4.A第四段第一句告诉我们，科学家的这个隐形装置和一个杯垫差不多大小，所以A是正确选择。coaster是一个多义词，其他几个选择是该词的其他意思，B：从事沿海贸易的船;C：过山车，摩天轮;D：海岸地区居民。

　　5.CA句在短文中没有提到;按文章的内容B不是正确的说法;文章最后一段说，And thedevice works only for microwaves，not forvisible light，所以C是正确选择。

　　Japanese Car Keeps Watch for Drunk Drivers

　　A concept car developed by Japanese company Nissan1 has a breathalyzer-like detection system and other instruments that could help keep drunk or over tired drivers off the road.

　　The car’s sensors check odors inside the car and monitor a driver’s sweat for traces of alcohol.An in-car computer system can issue an alert or even lock up the ignition system if the driver seems over-the-limit.The air odor sensors are fixed firmly and deeply in the driver

　　and passenger seats，while a detector in the gear-shift knob measures perspiration from the driver’s palm.

　　Other carmakers have developed similar detection systems. For example，Sweden’s Volvo2 has developed a breathalyzer attached to a car’s seat belt that drivers must blow into before the engine will start.

　　Nissan’s new concept vehicle also includes a dashboard-mounted camera that tracks a drivers alertness by monitoring their eyes.It will sound an alarm and issue a spoken warning in Japanese or English if it judges that the driver needs to pull over and rest3.

　　The car technology is still in development，but general manager Kazuhiro Doi says the combination of different detection systems should improve the overall effectiveness of the technology. “For example，if the gear-shift sensor was bypassed by a passenger using it instead of the driver，the facial recognition system would still be used,” Doi says.Nissan has no specific timetable for marketing the system，but aims to use technology to cut the number of fatalities involving its vehicles to half 1995 levels by 2015.

　　The car’s seat belt can also tighten if drowsiness is detected，while an external camera checks that the car is keeping to its lane properly. However，Doi admits that some of the technology，such as the alcohol odor sensor，should be improved.“If you drink one beer，it’s going to register，so we need to study what’s the appropriate level for the system to activate,” he says.

　　In the UK4,some research groups are using similar advanced techniques to understand driver behavior and the effectiveness of different road designs.

　　词汇:

　　breathalyzer n.呼气酒精检测器 alertness/ E5lE:tnis/n.警惕

　　sensor/5sensE(r)/ n.传感器 bypass /5baIpB:s/v.绕过

　　odor/5EudE(r)/ n.气味 facial/5feiFEl/adj.面部的

　　alert/E5lE:t/ adj.警惕的 fatality/ 5teilai/n.死亡事故

　　ignition/ i^5niFEn/n.点火 tighten/ 5taitEn/v.变紧，绑紧

　　gear-shift knob 换档把手 drowsiness/5drauzinis/n.昏昏欲睡

　　perspiration/7pE:spE5reiFEn/n.出汗 activate/5Aktiveit/v.使活动，使激活

　　dashboard/5dAF7bC:d/n.仪表板;挡泥板

　　练习：

　　1. Which of the following statements is NOT true of the Japanese concept care

　　A It has a sensor system that could issue a warning if the driver is drunk.

　　B It has sensors that detect traces of alcohol inside the car.

　　C It has sensors locked up in the ignition system.

　　D It has a breathalyzer-like detection system.

　　2. What has Volvo developed?

　　A The same detection system mentioned in the previous paragraph.

　　B A breathalyzer attached to a car’s seat belt.

　　C A smart car seat belt.

　　D An intelligent engine.

　　3. What is the function of the camera mentioned in Paragraph 4?

　　A It monitors the driver’s eyes to see if he needs a rest.

　　B It judges if the driver wants to pull over.

　　C It judges if the driver wants to take a rest.

　　D It issues an alarm when the driver speaks.

　　4. According to Doi,

　　A the overall effectiveness of the detection technology has improved.

　　B Nissan is making a timetable to market the detection system.

　　C it is impossible to improve the overall effectiveness of the detection system.

　　D Nissan aims to improve the detection technology to reduce the fatality rate.

　　5. Which of the following is NOT mentioned in Paragraph 6?

　　A An external camera checks that the car is going properly.

　　B The car will automatically keep to its lane.

　　C The seat belt will tighten when the driver is found drowsy.

　　D The technology of the alcohol odor sensor should be improved.

　　答案与题解：

　　1. C 选项A、B、D所述内容都可在短文的第一、第二段中找到。第二段最后一个句子告诉我们，传感器装在司机和乘客的座椅里，而不是在点火系统里，所以选择C。

　　2. B 短文第三段告诉我们，沃尔沃公司也发明了一种相类似的酒精检测装置，安装在保险带上。所以B是正确选择。

　　3. A 第四段描写了安装在概念车仪表板上的照相机的功能。相机跟踪司机的眼睛的活动从而监测司机是否保持清醒状态，如果发现司机需要停车休息，便用英语或日语发出警告。所以除A以外，其他选择都不正确。

　　4. D 短文第五段说，这种监测技术仍然在发展之中，使用不同的监测系统应能改进这项技术的整体有效性，所以A和C都不是正确选择。该段的最后一句说，日产公司并不准备将这种监测系统推向市场，但它的目标是使用这种技术到2015年将日产车的事故率年减少到 1995年的一半。所以B也不是正确选择，只有D表达了Doi的意思。

　　5. B 选项A、C、D在短文第六段都能找到，但是却找不到选项B所表达的意思。

　　A Sunshade for the Planet

　　Even with the best will1 in the world，reducing our carbon emissions is not going to prevent global warming.It has become clear that even if we take the most strong measures to control emissions，the uncertainties in our climate models still lea'ye open the possibility of extreme warming and rises in sea level.At the same time，resistance by governments and special interest groups makes it quite possible that the actions suggested by climate scientists might not be implemented soon enough.

　　Fortunately，if the worst comes to the worst2，scientists still have a few tricks up their sleeves3.For the most part they have strongly resisted discussing these options for fear of inviting a sense of complacency that might thwart efforts to tackle the root of the problem.Until now，that is.A growing number of researchers are taking a fresh look at large-scale “geoengineering” projects that might be used to counteract global warming.“I use the analogy of methadone4,” says Stephen Schneider，a climate researcher at Stanford University in California who was among the first to draw attention to global warming.“If you have a heroin addict，the correct treatment is hospitalization，and a long rehab. But if they absolutely refuse，methadone is better than heroin.”

　　Basically the idea is to apply “sunscreen” to the whole planet.One astronomer has come up with a radical plan to cool Earth;launch trillions of feather-light discs into space，where they would form a vast cloud that would block the sun’s rays.It’s controversial，but recent studies suggest there are ways to deflect just enough of the sunlight reaching the Earth’s surface to counteract the warming produced by the greenhouse effect.Global climate models show that blocking just 1.8 per cent of the incident energy in the sun’s rays would cancel out the warming effects produced by a doubling of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere. That could be crucial，because even the most severe emissions-control measures being proposed would leave us with a doubling of carbon dioxide by the end of this century，and that would last for at least a century more.

　　词汇：

　　emission/i5miFEn/n.发射，发射物 heroin/5herEuin/n.海洛因

　　complacency/kEm5pleIsEnsI/n.满足 hospitalization/7hCspitElai5zeiFEn /

　　n.住院治疗

　　thwart/WwC:t/v.反对，阻绕 rehab/ri:hAb/n.接受康复治疗

　　geoengineering n.地质工程 astronomer/ E5strRnEmE(r)/n.天文学家

　　trillion/ 5triljEn/n.(英、德) counteract/7kauntE5rAkt/v.抵消;抵制

　　百万兆(1018);(美、法) 万亿，兆 (1012)

　　controversial/7kCntrE5vE:FEl /analogy/E5nAlEdVi/n.类似;模拟

　　adj.有争议的

　　deflect/di5flekt/v.(使)偏转 methadone/ 5meWEdEun/n.美沙酮，美散痛

　　注释：

　　1. the best will：最好的愿望

　　2. if the worst comes to theworst：如果最最糟糕的事情发生了。这是英式英语的用法，在美式英语中它说成if worst comes to worst。在不同的语境中，有不同的泽法，如：“If the worst comes to the worst，”Becky thought，“my retreat“secure;and l have the right- hand seat inthe barouche.”蓓墓想道：“逼到最后一条路，逃难是不怕的了，在他的大马车里，我稳稳地有一个位子了。”又如：Ifthe worst comes to the worst，we’ll sell the car.大不了我们把车卖了。

　　3. scientists still have a few tricks叩their sleeves：科学家们仍然有些不为人所知的招数。 have something up one’s sleeve是英语成语，意思是：to have a secret idea or plan，有锦囊妙计，有所保留的，秘而不宣的谋略或计划，例如：If this trip doesn’t work out I’ve still got a few ideas up my sleeve.

　　4. methadone：美沙酮，一种有效的合成麻醉药，它不像口马啡或海洛因那样容易汁人上瘾，在戒毒治疗中被用作这些毒品的替代品。

　　练习:

　　1. According to the first two paragraphs，the author thinks that

　　A strong measures have been taken by the government to prevent global warming.

　　B to reduce carbon emissions is all impossible mission.

　　C despite the difficulty，scientists have some options to prevent global warming.

　　D actions suggested by scientists will never be realized.

　　2. Scientists resist talking about their options because they don't want people to

　　A know what they are doing.

　　B feel their efforts are useless.

　　C think the problem has been solved.

　　D see the real problem.

　　3. What does Stephen Schneider say about a heroin addict and methadone?

　　A Methadone is an effective way to treat a hard heroin addict.

　　B Methadone is not a correct way to treat a heroin addict.

　　C Hospitalization together with methadone can work effectively with a heroin addict.

　　D Methadone and heroin are equally effective in treating a heroin addict.

　　4. What is Stephen Schneider’s idea of preventing global warming?

　　A To ask governments to take stronger measures;

　　B To increase the sunlight reaching the Earth.

　　C To apply sunscreen to the Earth.

　　D To decrease greenhouse gases.

　　5. What is NOT true of the effectiveness of “sunscreen”，according to the last paragraph?

　　A It deflects sunlight reaching the Earth to counteract the warming.

　　B It blocks the incident energy in the sun’s rays.

　　C It is a controversial method.

　　D It decreases greenhouse gases in the atmosphere.

　　答案与题解：

　　1. C 短文第一段讲了防止地球变暖是一项艰巨的任务，第二段说，尽管如此，科学家还是有一些办法，所以C是正确选择。A是错误选择，因为作者认为政府和一些利益集团阻碍了科学家所倡导的行动的实施;B不是作者的观点;D也不是正确选择，因为第一段的最后一句“might not be implemented soon enough”并不表明永远不能实现。

　　2. C 文章的第二段说，即使最糟糕的情况发生，科学家还是有几招的。但他们不希望讨论他们的招数，因为恐怕人们不再有危机感而削弱彻底解决问题的努力。所以C是正确选择。

　　3. A 文章的第二段中，Stephen Schneider教授将自己解决地球变暖问题的办法比作美沙酮，因为在瘾君子拒绝正常住院治疗时，服用美沙酮是一种缓解海洛因毒瘾的有效方法。所以，A是正确的选择。

　　4. C 文章最后一段的第一个句子提供的答案。

　　5. D 短文最后一段描述了“sunscreen”如何解决地球变暖问题。尽管有争议，但是研究证明，“太阳屏”能反射和阻碍阳光，起到抵消由温室效应引起的地球升温。最后一段的第三和第四句是理解这个问题的关键。D不是文章所表达的内.容，所以是正确答案。