新理念大学英语四Unit 2听力原文.doc

Unit 2 Technology TodayListeningActivity 1 Computer problems(Audio Track 4-2-1/Audio Track 4-2-2)Situation 1Man: Oh no!Woman: What happened?Man: I cant believe it! I was sending 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 send it to his e-mail address only.Woman: Oops.Man: Exactly. Instead I sent it to everyone on the list. How embarrassing!Situation 2Man: I see you have a new keyboard. Thats nice.Woman: Yes, the company bought me a new one. Man: Thats good.Woman: Well, actually I spilled coffee on my old keyboard, and it stopped working.Man: Oh, I see.Woman: Dont tell anyone. Drinking coffee near the computers is not allowed!Situation 3Woman: Have you finished working on my computer?Man: Yes, I have. Im afraid I dont 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 cant be fixed.Woman: Well, I have had it for five years. Its time to replace it, I guess.Activity 2 Hi-tech toys(Audio Track 4-2-3/Audio Track 4-2-4)Conversation 1Pam: Well, Lynn, I must be going. It was great to see you Lynn: Bye, Pam.Pam: Whats that?Lynn: Oh thats Ollie.Pam: Ollie? I didnt know you had a dog!Lynn: Well, we dont really.Pam: What do you mean?Lynn: Come here.Pam: Oh my goodness. Its a robot!Lynn: Thats right. Its a dog robot. They call it a “dogbot.”Pam: How interesting! But its a little strange, dont you think?Lynn: Well, I wanted to get an interactive toy for the kids. They love it. So Im happy.Pam: How much did it cost?Lynn: Dont ask. It wasnt very affordable. Its cheaper than having a real dog, though. We dont ever have to buy dog food! And the batteries are rechargeable.Conversation 2Juliana: Hey, Henrik. Look.Henrik: What is it, Juliana?Juliana: Whats that guy doing over there?Henrik: Which guy?Juliana: The one over there. Wearing a suit. Hes punching so many buttons on his cell phone.Henrik: Oh, him. Hes probably playing a game.Juliana: Really?Henrik: A lot of people have games on their cell phones. Its really popular here in Finland. They play them everywhere.Juliana: Do you play them, too?Henrik: Yes, I do.Activity 3 Technology reports(Audio Track 4-2-5/Audio Track 4-2-6)In todays 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 users and with other appliances! Some companies now sell 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. The 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 house, and give information about other appliances. For example, it can tell you, “Your coffee maker needs more water.”And thats only the beginning. One company is now advertising “Save time phone your washing machine!” Engineers are making a “smart” house. In this house, 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.But do people really want pervasive computing? Do they really need technology everywhere? One company asked people about their opinions on “smart” appliances. There were surprises. A “smart” refrigerator can buy more food on the Internet, but people didnt want it, because it might make mistakes.“Pervasive computing is as important as a telephone,” says Rebecca Blair, president of InnoTech Corporation. But some of these products are not useful, or even practical. Companies should learn more about the technology that people really want. (Audio Track 4-2-7/Audio Track 4-2-8)The appetite for newer, smarter mobile technology is growing. Hungry consumers are no longer satisfied with making calls and sending 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 browser, electronic dictionary, camera, and video recorder.Its hard to argue with the merits of having access to so much entertainment on the go. And its harder to argue with the convenience of having multiple entertainment and communication functions served up in a single device. However, some would argue that these phones are eating up too much of peoples time. Its certainly food for thought. As phones become smarter they might indeed devour whats left of our social and interpersonal skills. Well have to wait and see.Activity 4 Rescue robots(Audio Track 4-2-9/Audio Track 4-2-10)Local girl rescuedShe may have a broken leg, but she cant 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 noise.“There was a sharp cracking noise and then a loud boom. After that, I dont remember anything,” said Morgan.The roof of the gymnasium had collapsed under the heavy snow. Morgan was trapped underneath. She couldnt escape.“I woke up and there was a big piece of wood on my leg. I couldnt move it. I was starting to get cold.”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 Morgans exact position.“We send in robots first because it may not be safe for humans,” said Mr. Sneed. “Human beings are not as useful as robots in some situations. A gas leak, for example, could kill you or me but wouldnt hurt a robot.”Although it didnt happen in Morgans case, 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?”“I want to meet my hero,” laughs Morgan. “That little robot that saved my life!”Activity 5 Cloud computing(Audio Track 4-2-11/Audio Track 4-2-12)An increasing number of companies and individuals are now opting to purchase virtual storage for their computer files and programs.Accessibility is generally cited as the single most persuasive factor when makin