题目内容
Apple designs the iPhone, the iPad and the iPod. Each of Apple’s products sounds cool and has become a fashion. Apple has cleverly taken advantage of the power of the letter “i” and many other brands are following suit. The BBC’s iPlayer , which allows Web users to watch TV programs on the Internet , adopted the title in 2008. A lovely bear ( popular in the US and UK ) that plays music and video is called “iTeddy”. A slimmed-down version of London’s Independent newspaper came out last week under the name “i”. In general, single-letter prefixes have been popular since the 1990s, when terms such as e-mail and e-commerce first came into use.
Most “i” products are aimed at young people and considering the major readers of Independent “i”, it is no surprise that they’ve selected this fashionable name. But it’s hard to see what’s so special about the letter “i” . Why not use “a”, “b” or “c” instead? According to Tony Thorne, head of the Language Center at King’s College, London, “i” works because its meaning has become ambiguous (模糊的). When Apple uses “i”, no one knows whether it means Internet, information, individual or interactive. Mr. Thorne told BBC Magazines, “Even when Apple created the iPad, it seems it didn’t have one clear definition. However, thanks to Apple, the term is now associated with portability (轻便)” Clearly the letter “i” also agrees with the idea that the Western World is centered on the individual. Each person believes they have their own needs, and they love personalized products for this reason. Along with “Google” and “Twitter”, readers of BBC Magazines voted “i” as one of the top 20 words that have come to define the last decade.
68. People use the iPlayer to ____________.
A. listen to music B. make a call
C. read newspapers D. watch TV programs online
69. According to the passage, he first single-letter prefix that became popular is _________.
A. i- B. e- C. a- D. b-
70. Nowadays, the “i” term often reminds people of the products which are ______________.
A. portable B. advanced
C. recyclable D. environmentally friendly
DBA
Maybe you’ve just invented something better than the iPhone or a solar-powered car. You don’t want anyone to steal your design. What should you do? Patent (申请专利) it! Patents are the best way to get credit for your work and help others continue advancing in that field. Here’s what you need to know.
A patent gives you the right to an invention. The patent protects its owner, which means the invention can’t be copied or sold without their agreement. In exchange, the owner must reveal information about the invention. This contributes knowledge that helps other inventors improve on their own research. A patent usually lasts about 20 years.
The first step to getting a patent is the application. The person applying must name the invention, explain its use and describe it clearly. The invention must be practical and contain some new characteristic — something that hasn’t been seen or used before. But not everything “new” can be patented. Many countries don’t allow patents on things like new concepts, scientific theories, medical procedures or substances already found in nature.
You may not be able to see patents, but they’re connected to nearly everything. There are patents on things you use every day, like plastic, medicine and your computer. There are patents on things that are unavailable on the market, too. Apple is well-known for its patents on potential products, such as the “iBike” or the “iKey”.
Of course there are also patents on inventions like this. Take the anti-eating face mask for example. This device locks around your head with a metal cage covering your mouth. You can breathe and speak, but you can’t eat!
Although many patented inventions can be failures, there’s plenty of room for success. So if you have a cool invention, try to patent it.
【小题1】Which of the following is NOT true according to the text?
A.A patent can last for around 20 years. |
B.Everything new can be patented. |
C.Your invention is protected after you have applied for a patent. |
D.Some patents are on the things that we use every day. |
A.a popular product | B.a mere new concept |
C.a famous brand in the world | D.a practical bike on the market |
A.weapon | B.medicine | C.equipment | D.strength |
A.advertise | B.persuade | C.warn | D.inform |
On the day Apple debuted the often-delayed white-colored iPhone 4, the company’s marketing department gave a nod to the product’s troubled history.
“Finally.” read the big headline Thursday above a picture of the white phone on the homepage of Apple. com.
The white model was supposed to ship alongside the black one at the iPhone 4’s launch(推出) last June. But design and manufacturing complications delayed the process by 10 months, catching Apple off guard, executives say.
As CNN reported last month, earlier test models of the white iPhone 4 produced unclear photos, especially when the flash(闪光灯) was used. Its whiteness confused the proximity sensor (距离传感器) , which detects when the phone is held next to someone’s head and turns off the touch screen to save battery life.
These problems weren’t present in older iPhones that came in white because they didn’t have flash photography; the proximity sensor was unaffected because the front side of previous models was black.
“We thought we were there a year ago, or less than that, when we launched the iPhone 4, and we weren’t,” Philip Schiller, Apple’s chief marketing executive, said in an interview. “It’s not as simple as making something white. There’s a lot more that goes into both the material science of it —how it holds up over time…but also in how it all works with the sensors. “
Ticonderoga Securities analyst Brian White predicts that the white model could help drive sales of Apple’s phones. He says Apple could sell 1 million to 1. 5 million every three months until the next iPhone model is unveiled, which is expected to be this fall.
Forty-five people were lined up at Apple’s flagship New York store Thursday morning to buy white iPhones, according to a CNN Money report.
【小题1】
The reason why white-colored iPhone 4 was delayed by 10 months is that _______.
A.it’s always sold out due to its popularity |
B.it met some problems concerning design and manufacture |
C.it lacked white manufacturing materials |
D.its proximity sensor can’t save battery life |
According to the passage, which of the following statements is TRUE?
A.There are multi-colored models of iPhone 4. |
B.The same design problems were also found in older white iPhones. |
C.IPhone4 will be launched this fall. |
D.Originally designers thought they could solve the problems before iPhone 4 was launched. |
What would be the best title for this passage?
A.Why the White iPhone 4 Took So Long |
B.The History of iPhone 4 |
C.The Attraction of White iPhone 4 |
D.The Design and Manufacture of iPhone 4 |
What does the underlined word “unveil” in the last paragraph mean?
A.to remove one’s mask from his face |
B.to remove a cloth from something, especially as part of a ceremony |
C.to show to the public for the first time |
D.to disappear from the public for the first time |