Unit 2 Technology Today
Listening
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Situation 1
Man: Oh no!
Woman: What happened?
Man: I can’t believe it! I was nding a message and I accidentally clicked on “Reply to All.”
Woman: So?
Man: It was a personal message for my friend, Jerry. I wanted to nd it to his e-mail address only.
Woman: Oops.
Man: Exactly. … Instead I nt it to everyone on the list. How embarrassing! Situation 2
Man: I e you have a new keyboard. That’s nice.
Woman: Yes, the company bought me a new one.
Man: That’s good.
Woman: Well, actually … I spilled coffee on my old keyboard, and it stopped working.
Man: Oh, I e.
Woman: Don’t tell anyone. Drinking coffee near the computers is not allowed! Situation 3no boundaries
Woman: Have you finished working on my computer?
Man: Yes, I have. I’m afraid I don’t have good news for you.
Woman: Really?
Man: Really. The problem is with your hardware.
Woman: Oh. What do you suggest?
Man: I think you should probably buy a new computer. This one can’t be fixed. Woman: Well, I have had it for five years. It’s time to replace it, I guess. Audio Track 4-2-3/Audio Track 4-2-4witty
Conversation 1
Pam: Well, Lynn, I must be going. It was great to e you —
Lynn: Bye, Pam.
Pam: What’s that?
Lynn: Oh … that’s Ollie.
Pam: Ollie? I didn’t know you had a dog!
Lynn: Well, we don’t … really.
Pam: What do you mean?
Lynn: Come here.
Pam: Oh my goodness. It’s a robot!
Lynn: That’s right. It’s a dog robot. They call it a “dogbot.”
Pam: How interesting! … But it’s a little strange, don’t you thi nk?
Lynn: Well, I wanted to get an interactive toy for the kids. They love it. So I’m happy.三年级英语
Pam: How much did it cost?
Lynn: Don’t ask. It wasn’t very affordable. It’s cheaper than having a real dog, though. We don’t ever have to buy dog food! And the bat teries are rechargeable. Conversation 2
Juliana: Hey, Henrik. Look.
Henrik: What is it, Juliana?
Juliana: What’s that guy doing over there?
Henrik: Which guy?
Juliana: The one over there. Wearing a suit. He’s punching so many buttons on his cell phone.
Hen rik: Oh, him. He’s probably playing a game.
Juliana: Really?
新德里英文
Henrik: A lot of people have games on their cell phones. It’s really popular here in Finland. They play them everywhere.
Juliana: Do you play them, too?
Henrik: Yes, I do.
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In today’s report, we look at a new technology called pervasive computing. Pervasive computing means putting tiny computers into everyday electronic appliances, such as toasters and microwaves. With pervasive computing, appliances can communicate with their urs — and with other appliances! Some companies now ll pervasive computing products like a “smart” toaster. It remembers your favorite kind of toast: light or dark. Companies are designing a “smart” coffee maker and a “smart” clock. Th e coffee maker can measure the water and coffee. It can even put milk in your breakfast coffee and make black coffee in the afternoon. The clock will check the time on other clocks in your hou, and give information about other appliances. For example, it can tell you, “Your coffee maker needs more water.”
And that’s only the beginning. One company is now advertising “Save time —phone your washing machine!” Engineers are making a “smart” hou. In this hou, the lights, heater, and air conditioner change automatically when family members
come home. This makes the home comfortable, and it saves a lot of energy. Pervasive computing could change many parts of our daily lives.新托福真题
But do people really want pervasive computing? Do they really need technology every where? One company asked people about their opinions on “smart” appliances. There were surpris. A “smart” refrigerator can buy more food on the Internet, but people didn’t want it, becau it might make mistakes.
“Pervasive computing is as important as a telephone,” says Rebecca Blair, president of InnoTech Corporation. But some of the products are not uful, or even practical. Companies should learn more about the technology that people really want.
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The appetite for newer, smarter mobile technology is growing. Hungry consumers are no longer satis
fied with making calls and nding text messages, and phone developers are taking notice. Your modern day smartphone is not just a communication device; it also offers a banquet of features such as a music player, gaming apps, Internet browr, electronic dictionary, camera, and video recorder. It’s hard to argue with the merits of having access to so much entertainment on the go. And it’s harder to argue with the convenienc e of having multiple entertainment and communication functions rved up in a single device. However, some would argue that the phones are eating up too much of people’s time. It’s certainly food for thought. As phones become smarter they might indeed de vour what’s left of our social and interpersonal skills. We’ll have to wait and e.
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Local girl rescued
She may have a broken leg, but she can’t be happier. Morgan Bailey, 11, is happy to be alive.
Tuesday was like any other day for Morgan. She was at school. It was fourth period, and she was the first student to arrive in the gymnasium for her physical education class.
Suddenly there was a loud noi.
“There was a sharp cracking noi and then a loud boom. After that,I don’t remember anything,” said Morgan.
The roof of the gymnasium had collapd under the heavy snow. Morgan was trapped underneath. She couldn’t escape.
“I woke up and there was a big piece of wood on my leg. I couldn’t move it. I was starting to get co ld.”
Fortunately, help was nearby. A new program using “rescue robots” was tried for the first time.
”We were nervous about using the robot,” said Derrick Sneed, the man in charge of the program. “But in the end, the robot gave us reliable information. It went extremely well.”
The rescue robot was able to go into the gym and locate Morgan’s exact position.“We nd in robots first becau it may not be safe for humans,” said Mr. Sneed. “Human beings are not as uful as robots in some situations. A gas leak, for example, could kill you or me but wouldn’t hurt a robot.”
Although it didn’t happen in Morgan’s ca, some rescue robots can bring fresh air or water to people who are trapped.
Rescue robots go into rough, dangerous places. They work in life or death situations. They have to be durable.
Doctors say that Morgan is doing well. She should be going home in two or three days. What is the first thing she wants to do after she gets out of the hospital?”
置换反应“I want to meet my hero,” laughs Morgan. “That little robot that saved my life!”Audio Track 4-2-11/Audio Track 4-2-12
An increasing number of companies and individuals are now opting to purcha virtual storage for their computer files and programs.
Accessibility is generally cited as the single most persuasive factor when making the switch. Being virtual, Clouds can be accesd from any computer with an Internet connection, and at any time. For tho with slower Internet connections, sophisticated software accelerates upload and download times.
Cost is always a mitigating factor when it comes to choosing which technology solution to adopt. And Clouds offer maximum flexibility when purchasing storage space. No longer do companies have to m
ake long-term investments in expensive rver equipment. They can purcha only the space they require now, with the knowledge that they can easily upgrade and expand at any point in the future. Apprehensions, about the curity of data, have now been put at ea as globally recognized software firms are building in the necessary curity solutions.
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conclusion是什么意思1. I ud to type my term papers on a typewriter.
2. I didn’t u to wear scarves.
3. What kind of computer do you u?
4. I ud my brother’s cell phone.
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1. She ud the phone in her office.
2. He ud to paint his own hou.
3. Do you u a computer?
耶酥4. I didn’t u to eat meat.
focus是什么意思
Speaking & Communication
Audio Track 4-2-15
Lea: I hate writing term papers! It takes forever!
Steve: You’re lucky, Lea. When I was young …
Lea: Oh, I’ve heard this story before …
Steve: Well, when I was young, we didn’t have computers. We ud to write our papers on typewriters.
Lea: Oh, really? That sounds difficult!
Steve: It was, especially becau I made a lot of mistakes.prime
Lea: Did it take a long time?
Steve: Yes. Computers are so much faster and easier to u.
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Conversation 1
A: I think television has improved our lives becau we get to e news from around the world as it happens.
B: Really?
A: Yes! In the past people ud to wait for days or weeks to read about overas events, but now we can watch live news reports on television.
B: But don’t you think people spend too much time watching television?
A: Perhaps. However, I still maintain that some television programs, such as news and documentaries, can be educational and of benefit to people.
Conversation 2
A: I think cars have improved our lives becau we can get from one place to another so much more quickly.
B: No way! Cars are a major cau of pollution.
A: Dear me! I hadn’t cons idered that.
Audio Track 4-2-17
The most fun product has to be the cell phone. I u my cell phone all the time. Actually it almost never leaves my hand. It’s a good thing that it’s thin, light and
