题目内容
Reading Comprehension
Many experts complain that media too often take advantage of the science fiction aspects of nanotech (纳米技术). Reports of nanotech often refer to K. Eric Drexler's book Engines of Creations, which predicts an age full of dominant molecular (分子的) manufacturing and world without material scarcity. Whatever humans need will one day be built cheaply with microscopic self-replicating machines (微细自我复制机)that put atoms together to create copies of anything alive in the worldfrom trees to human bodies.
In fact, the scientific community is deeply divided over whether self-replicating machines are possible. If they are, major dangers could east. Mr. Drexler himself thought that self-replicating machines could probably go out of control. He writes in his book that man-made “plants” with “leaves no more efficient than today's solar cells could win over real plants, crowding the earth with leaves that are not suitable to be eaten. Tough ‘bacteria’ could be more competitive than the real bacteria: They could spread everywhere, replicate swiftly, and reduce the earth to dust in a matter of days.”
Critics of nanotech have made use of such images, calling for a delay on commercial nanotech until regulations are established. They also point to the possible military uses of nanotech. Bill Joy, the co-founder of Sun Microsystems, wrote in a Wired magazine essay in 2000 that if nanotech falls into the wrong hands, it could bring dangers to society.
Opponents say Mr. Joy is overreacting. “In a way, calling for bans on research into molecular manufacturing is like calling for a delay on faster-than-light travel because no one is doing it,” says Glenn Reynolds, a University of Tennessee law professor.
Professor Reynolds says it is a good idea to regulate nanotech, but in ways the government would regulate any products that could be dangerous. Export controls and certification systems for nanotech companies are examples. US lawmakers have put forth four bills on nanotech research and development.
1.K. Eric Drexler in his book predicts a future world with sufficient material, because
[ ]
A.man-made plants could replace real plants and grow more quickly
B.plants produced by nanotech would be as efficient as today's solar cells
C.man-made bacteria would be widespread and capable of self-replicating
D.humans could create copies of anything alive with high technology
2.To call for a delay on commercial nanotech, critics of nanotech make use of
[ ]
A.current social problems
B.science fiction descriptions
C.disagreements in the scientific community
D.the fact that no one is doing molecular manufacturing
3.Opponents of Bill Joy would NOT agree to
[ ]
A.control nanotech export
B.ban nanotech research to avoid any possible dangers
C.put forth bills on nanotech research and development
D.establish a certification system for nanotech companies
4.Which of the following statements best summarizes the main idea of the passage?
[ ]
A.Nanotech should not be put into wrong use in the military field.
B.The government should regulare products that could be dangerous.
C.Nanotech regulations should be established in spite of the divided opinions.
D.The media should not take advantage of the science fiction aspects of nanotech.
Welcome to my Message Board! | |
Subject Slimming down classics? | |
Mr. Handsome 2007-5-12&24 AM | Orion Books,which decides there is a market in creating cut-down classics(经典著作),is slimming down some novels by such great writers as L.Tolstoy,M.Mitchell and C.Bronte.Now,each of them has been whittled down to about 400 pages by cutting 30 to 40 per cent of the original,with words,sentences,paragraphs and,in a few cases,chapters removed.The first six shortened editions,all priced at £6.99 and advertised as great reads “in half the time”,will go on sale next month,with plans for 50 to 100 more to follow.The publishing house believes that modern readers will welcome the shorter versions. |
Mr. Edwards 2007-5-12 9:40 AM | Well,I’m publisher of Orion Group.Thanks for your attention,Mr.Handsome. I must say,the idea developed from a game of “shame”in my office.Each of us was required to confess(承认)to the most embarrassing blanks in his or her reading.I admitted that I had never read Anna Karenina and tried but failed to get through Gone with the Wind several times.One of my colleagues acknowledged skipping(跳读)Jane Eyre.We realised that life is too short to read all the books you want to and we never were going to read these ones. As a leading publishing house,we are trying to make classics convenient for readers but it’s not as if we’re withdrawing the original versions.They are still there if you want to read them. |
Ms.Weir 2007-5-12 11:35 AM | I’m director of the online bookclub www.lovereading.co.uk. Mr.Edwards,I think your shortened editions is a breath of fresh air.I’m guilty of never having read Anna Karenina,because it’s just so long.I’d much rather read two 300-page books than one 600-page book.I am looking forward to more shortened classics! |
Mr. Crockatt 2007-5-124:38 PM | I’m from the London independent bookshop Crockatt & Powell. In my opinion,the practice is completely ridiculous.How can you edit the classics?I’m afraid reading some of these books is hard work,and that is why you have to develop as a reader.If people don’t have time to read Anna Karenina,then fine.But don’t read a shortened version and kid yourself it’s the real thing. |
A.opposes the reading of original classics |
B.is embarrassed for cutting down classics |
C.thinks cut-down classics have a bright future |
D.is cautious in its decision to cut down classics |
A.make them easier to read |
B.meet a large demand in the market |
C.increase the sales of literary books |
D.compete with their original versions |
A.speaks highly of the cut-down classics |
B.shows gailty of the original classics |
C.feels guilty of not reading the classics |
D.disapproves of shortening the classics |
A.reading the classic works is a confusing attempt |
B.shortening the classics does harm to the original |
C.publishing the cub-down classics is a difficult job |
D.editing the classic works satisfies children’s needs |
Britain is set to face an increase in cold winters, with up to one-in-seven hitting the UK with longer periods of time when temperatures are below freezing, a study has suggested.The prediction was based on research that found out how low solar activity affected winter weather patterns.
However, the researchers were eager to stress that their findings did not suggest that the region was about to fall suddenly into a "little ice age".The findings appear in the journal Environmental Research Letters."We could get to the point where one-in-seven winters are very cold, as we had at the start of last winter and all through the winter before last," said co-author Mike Lockwood, professor of space environment physics at the University of Reading.
Using the Central England Temperature (CET) record, the world's longest instrumental data series that dates back to 1659, the team said that in general temperatures during recent winters had been obviously lower than the longer-term temperatures."The mean CET for December, January and February for the recent relatively cold winters of 2008 ~ 2009 and 2009~2010 were 3.50℃ and 2.53℃ respectively," they wrote."However, the mean value for the previous 20 winters had been 5.04℃.The series of lower winter temperatures in the UK during the last three years had raised questions about the probability of more similar, or even colder, winters occurring in the future."
Last year.Professor Lockwood and colleagues published a paper that found a link between fewer sunspots and atmospheric conditions that "blocked" warm westerly winds reaching Europe during winter months, opening the way for cold easterly winds from the Arctic and Russia to sweep across the region.Professor Lockwood, while acknowledging that there were a range of possible meteorological factors (气象因素) that could influence blocking events, said the latest study moved things forward by showing that there was "improvement in the predictive skill" when solar activity was taken into consideration.
【小题1】We can know from the second paragraph that _____.
A.research shows that Britain will soon fall into an ice age |
B.Mike Lockwood's research focuses on space environment physics |
C.it was quite cold in Britain over the entire winter last year |
D.so far one-in-seven winters have been very cold in Britain |
A.average | B.stable | C.ungenerous | D.changeable |
A.It was sunspots that blocked warm westerly winds reaching Europe. |
B.Meteorological factors hardly have any influence on blocking events. |
C.The latest study done by Professor Lockwood was of little practical value. |
D.Considering solar activity or not affects the accuracy of weather forecasting. |
A.Another big danger approaching the UK |
B.Research finds out solar activity is to blame for the cold |
C.UK faces more cold winters due to weaker solar activity |
D.Changes in weather patterns should be responsible for low solar activity |