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科技英语阅读unit5Building his house of straw didn't do the first little pig any favours, but a modern take on straw-bale construction may well be the grand design of the future if results coming out of the University of Bath are accepted by the construction industry.Think of a straw-bale house and you might imagine a tumbledown shack that leaks, creaks, slumps and smells somewhat of the farmyard. But step into BaleHaus, a startlingly contemporary looking prototype home that has been built on the Bath campus, and there's nary a wisp of straw to be seen. Instead, you're in the hallway of an upside-down house with two bedrooms and a bathroom on the ground floor, and an airy open-plan living area upstairs. It feels like a little piece of Scandinavia has just arrived in Somerset.The straw bales, it turns out, are all packed tightly inside a series of prefabricated rectangular wooden wall frames, which are thenlime-rendered, dried and finally slotted together like giant Lego pieces, called ModCell panels.The problem with straw houses, it seems, isn't that they don't work, but that people perceive them as being a bit hippy and not particularly durable. Add to that the problems of getting a mortgage –very few lenders will consider straw-bale construction –and it's hardly surprising that most homes in the UK are still built of either brick or stone.The benefits of straw, points out Professor Peter Walker, director of the University of Bath's BRE Centre for Innovative Construction Materials, are that "it's cheap, widely available and a good insulator. It's been used in building houses for hundredsof years."As a by-product of an industry that exists all over the world –the stalks that remain after grain has been harvested –straw also helpfully soaks up carbon from the atmosphere and locks it in, so long as it is not allowed to decompose. For the building industry, which currently depends on materials with very high embedded energy costs –concrete and brick are expensive in carbon terms both to make and to transport –straw could therefore offer a welcome solution to housing's greenhouse gas emissions.However stylishly modern your environmentally friendly straw-bale house may look, however, you still want to know that it won't get sopping wet in a thunderstorm or go up in a whoosh of flames if you knock over a candle. The results now being published by Walker and his research partner, Dr Katharine Beadle, who have spent the last 18 months testing the BaleHaus against an exhaustive list of risk factors that could rot it, burn it or blow it down, so far seem to be reassuring."You always want a bit of drama, but we didn't get it!" laughs Beadle of the day the team took a ModCell unit to a test laboratory and tried to reduce it to ashes by strapping it to a fiery furnace and raising the temperature to over 1,000C."It's a standard test to replicate a fire in a building," explains Walker."You want a minimum of 30 minutes' resistance; that means you know that a house will at least retain its structural integrity for half an hour, which gives people a chance to get out."It took an hour-and-a-half of being in direct contact with the flames, says Beadle, before the lime render began to drop off, "and then the straw did start to burn back, but because it's so compacted it suffered more charring than actual disintegration."After waiting another 45 minutes and finding that the panel still hadn't failed, the team gave up and stopped the experiment, secure in the knowledge that the material had performed way beyond the requirements of building regulations.When it came to blowing the house down – hydraulic jacks were placed against the walls to replicate wind forces pushing against the bales –the ModCell panels moved a few millimetres, but stayed within the tolerances allowed for by the computer modelling carried out prior to its construction.That, says Walker, could be very good news for the price of the eventual ModCell building system."It means the house is stiffer than it needs to be, so we now have the option of taking away some of that stiffness – ie, reduce its internal timber – and that could reduce the cost."The approximate cost of the current modular building system for this de sign is ￡132,000 from above the concrete slab. For a smallishtwo-bedroomed house with one large open-plan kitchen/diner, that doesn't seem particularly cheap given that straw is supposed to be inexpensive, and you'd still have to buy the plot and dig the foundations."Cost is a challenge to the introduction of this technology, but as a prototype house I think it stacks up well," says Walker."The aspiration is that it should be cost-competitive, with more savings coming through reduced heating bills."To replicate the heat given off by humans and appliances, arrays of incandescent lightbulbs on timers blaze in every room at pre-programmed times of day "to see how much heat escapes, and what level of heating would be needed at different times of year," explains Beadle."That environmental modelling will give us all the numbers about the energy the house is predicted to use. And if we are predicting how it will operate given climate change, we can then put in those variables."Sensors embedded within each wall panel constantly monitor the degree of moisture absorbed and then released back through the breathable lime render into the air outside by the panels. And on the airtightness test that was carried out, BaleHaus came in way under the building regulations threshold, and did considerably better than the far lower "best practice" standard.Next up is going to be the flood test. Disappointingly, the researchers aren't simply going to leave the bath taps running: instead, they'll stand a panel in a metre of water, measure how long it takes to dry out and assess whether using industrial dryers causes damage to the straw."Longer term, we'd like to maybe get some people to live in it, a family of three or four perhaps, and see how it performs in a real-life situation," says Walker.Student accommodation, I wonder? Walker suddenly looks a bit concerned for his straw-bale baby, so probably only mature, well-behaved responsible students who will promise no rampaging house parties should apply. But who knows when the first straw-bale halls of residence will be built for students desperate for some decent, earth-friendly and thermally efficient digs?bre。
英语科普阅读材料双语——科技4篇英语科普阅读材料双语——科技4篇（一）我们如何在28小时内到达火星？ (1)（二）饮水鸟蕴含的工程学原理 (9)（三）人们是否应该接受人造肉 (29)（四）为什么当代手机电池还是这么不经用 (40)（一）我们如何在28小时内到达火星？How Could We Get To Mars In Only 28 Hours?Everyone always wants to get to Mars.每个人都总是渴望去火星Unfortunately, the journey would be a long one,不幸的是依靠我们目前的技术taking hundreds of days of travel with our current technology.这趟旅途将会十分漫长长达几百天Well, what if we could shorten that time to only a matter of days试想如果我们不使用宇宙飞船by throwing away our spaceships而是用一些在太空中急速穿梭的东西and using something that’s already zooming acr oss space?这趟旅程可以缩短到几天？I’m talking about comets.我说的是彗星Comets are big ol’ cosmic snowballs,彗星是一个由冻结气体岩石和尘埃made from frozen gases, rock, and dust组成的巨大雪球that end up orbiting the Sun after the other planets当其他行星试图把彗星扔向地球tried throwing them at Earth and missed.但没成功时它们便围绕地球飞行Well, that last part probably isn’t true.当然最后那部分可能是假的Everyone knows that the planets only have water gun battles.我们都知道行星上只有水枪之战Not to mention, comets can actually be pretty big.更不必说彗星实际上可能非常大Frozen, you could probably liken them to about the size of a small town.这些雪球你可以把它们比做一个小镇那么大However, when these things get close to the Sun in their orbit, 然而它们在自己的轨道环形并接近太阳时they can begin to heat up.会逐渐变热Then they start spewing dust and gases,接着喷涌出尘埃和气体forming a giant glowing head.形成一个巨大的发光脑袋Huh. I thought only I had that problem.哈我认为只有我有这个顾虑Luckily enough, if we want to use one of these things for stellar travel,幸运的是如果我们想用其中一个彗星进行星际旅行we have quite a few to choose from!我们的选择有很多！According to NASA,根据美国航天局there are around 3,600 comets that we currently know of.我们目前已知的彗星约有3600颗Beyond that, it’s believed that there are billions of other comets out there此外据说在遥远的柯伊伯带还有数十亿颗彗星orbiting our Sun in the Kuiper Belt and even more distant Oort Cloud. 甚至是更远的奥尔特云围绕着太阳运行的What makes comets great for getting around in space彗星能够穿梭星际is that they can go SUPER fast.是因为其速度极快Yeah, this baby can fly!是的这小东西会飞！How fast they’re t ravelling depends on a bunch of different factors,它们的速度取决于多种不同因素but they can travel anywhere from a few thousand kilometers per hour,但在一定条件下它们的速度可以从时速几千公里to over 160,000 kilometers per hour under certain conditions.达到每小时超16万公里在任何地方飞行In fact, in 2016, scientists at NASA recorded2016年美国航天局的科学家们记录了a comet traveling at nearly 600 kilometers per second as it dove toward the Sun.一颗秒速六百公里驶向太阳的彗星That’s over 2 /million/ kilometers per hour!那超过了两百万公里每小时！To put that in perspective,就此展望if we could travel at 2 million kilometers per hour,如果我们能以每小时两百万公里的速度飞行then wecould get to Mars from Earth in around 28 hours,我们可以在一天多的时间里just little more than a single day,约28小时就可以完成火星之旅assuming the two planets were close together in their orbits. 假设轨道上有两颗行星距离很近Lining up the planets is the least of our worries though.我们可以在可控范围内排列行星While comets can go super fast,彗星的速度超快getting to them would be a big problem.登上彗星仍会是一大问题That’s because, not even considering how hard it would be to actually commandeer one,因为我们甚至没有考虑控制一个彗星有多难comets just don’t typically get that close to Earth.彗星一般离地球很远Hale-Bopp, a comet that made the news about two decades ago, 大概二十年前新闻上报道了海尔-波普彗星came closer to Earth than most comets do,它比大多彗星更靠近地球and it was still about 200 million kilometers away.但还是有约两百万公里的距离We might as well just go straight to Mars at that point!照那样我们还不如直接去火星吧！Even if a comet did come by Earth,即使彗星确实经过地球we assume that its trajectory is towards Mars,我们也断定它的轨道是朝着火星的and we ignore that it would likely be in its more gassy, less-solid state,并且我们忽略了它可能更多的是气体而非固态物质you’d still have to keep yourself alive on the comet.你还要在彗星上生存下去I guess if it’s only a day or so then food and water would be less of an issue我猜如果只是一天左右那食物和水就不是问题了since the aliens would definitely feed you once we got there, 因为一旦我们到了那里外星人肯定会伺候我们的but you’d still have to worry about oxygen and protecting your self from space.但你仍要担心氧气并且保护自己远离太空You would need about 0.84 kilograms of oxygen a day,你每天约需0.84公斤的氧气so you better grab a spacesuit and take a big breath before jumping on the comet.所以跳上彗星前你最好穿上宇航服深吸一口气So yeah, using comets as a means of space travel is probably not that viable in the end.所以利用彗星进行太空旅行或许并不可行Sometimes I like doing these thought experiments, you know, 有时我喜欢做这些思维实验and t hen realizing that they can’t work.然后意识到不可能实现But it’s still interesting!仍然它仍很有趣！That’s how we learn people!这也是咱认识人类的方法！So do you have any questions about space that you want me to answer.你有关于太空的疑问想要我解答？Any planets that we should cover next?接下来我们要讲哪些行星？Let me know right now in the comment section below!请立刻在下方评论区告诉我吧！Curious to know what would happen if you were trapped on the international space station?我很好奇如果你被困在国际空间站会发生什么？We teamed up with our friend William Osman to answer that question.我们会与我们的朋友William Osman一起为你解答ISS actually gets its power from solar arrays made up of thousands of solar cells.国际空间站的能量来自上万个太阳能电池组成的阵列These arrays can efficiently covert solar energy into electrical power. 这些阵列可以有效地将太阳能转换成电能Typically producing more power than the station needs at one time. 通常在同一时间产生超出所需的电力（二）饮水鸟蕴含的工程学原理The Engineering of the Drinking BirdThis toy has fascinated me since childhood.我从小就对这个玩具着迷To me its motion is almost hypnotic.对我来说它的运动就像是催眠Here’s how it operates.它是这样运转的Wet the bird beak thoroughly with room temperature water.将鸟喙完全浸透在室温的水中The opaque container makes it looked chilled,不透明容器使它看起来冷淬了but it isn’t…其实并没有Then stand it upright…然后让它直立It will take a few seconds for it to start drinking…它要等几秒钟后才开始喝水Notice that all of the action right now takes place in the stem here 注意现在所有的运动都发生在躯干这里As l speed up the action当我快进这个过程you see liquid rising and the bird rocking back and forth.可以看见液面上升饮水鸟开始前后摇摆If I return to normal speed,如果调回常速播放you can see the bird slowly …可以看到饮水鸟慢慢地very, very slowly ….非常非常慢地Rock forward…向前摆动Until it takes a drink,直到它喝到了水which it will do again and again.然后一遍又一遍地重复此过程In this video I’ll detail the bird’s clever engineering design,在本视频中我将详述这只鸟精妙的工程设计explain how it uses thermodynamics,阐明它是如何运用热力学知识and link its action to some of the greatest将其运动与一些工程师创造的and most impactful devices created by engineers.伟大且影响深远的装置联系起来的This toy has long history,这个玩历史悠久but its current incarnation is due to Miles V. Sullivan—它的当前形态是由贝尔实验室一名科学家a scientist at Bell Labs.Miles V. Sullivan创造的He specialized in methods of manufacturing semiconductors, 他专精于研究制造半导体的方法but as a sideline invented toys.发明玩具是他的副业Its reported that this bird delighted U.S. President Herbert Hoover,据说这只饮水鸟深得美国总统赫伯特·胡佛喜爱an engineer who failed to figure out how it worked,作为一名工程师他没搞懂它的工作原理and it also defeated the great scientist Albert Einstein,而且它还难倒了伟大的科学家艾尔伯特·爱因斯坦who spent three and half months studying it.爱因斯坦花了三个半月来研究它It’s reported that he refused to take t he bird apart.据报道他拒绝把这只鸟拆开With the benefit of hindsight,有了后见之明let’s start by exploring how it works让我们从探索它的工作原理and examining the key engineering design aspects.以及检查关键的工程设计方面开始First, let’s ask is the water ornamental or essential?首先要问的是水是装饰品还是必需品？At first the bird acts just as if the water were still there.最初饮水鸟的行为好像水还在那里一样Now let’s speed up the bird’s motion我们快进饮水鸟的动作you see at 15 minutes it is still drinking.可以看见过了15分钟它仍在喝水At 30 still drinking.30分钟还在喝水45 minutes still drinking.45分钟依然还在喝水60 minutes still drinking.60分钟还在喝水75 minutes still drinking.75分钟仍然还在喝水And five or ten minutes later,又过了5到10分钟后at eighty or eight-five minutes it takes its last drink.约在80到85分钟它喝了最后一次水The liquid still rises a bit,虽然液面上升了一点but it never rises enough to make the bird tip over,但它从没上升到足够使鸟翻倒的高度which shows that the motion is not perpetual说明这个运动不是永恒的—as long as there is water, the bird keeps drinking.只要有水鸟就一直喝水Let’s look inside the bird来看看饮水鸟的内部to get an idea of how it works.了解它的工作原理Underneath the bird’s hat, beak and fabric covering lies aglass bulb 在鸟帽鸟嘴和织物覆盖物下面有一个玻璃泡smaller than the bulb at the base, and also rounder.它比底部的玻璃泡小也更圆Now, watch as I put a few drops of isopropyl alcohol on the bulb to cool it.现在我滴几滴异丙醇在玻璃泡上使它降温The liquid rapidly rises to the head,里面的液体快速上升到头部this changes the bird’s center of gravity这改变了饮水鸟的重心so that it will tilt forward.使它向前倾斜The head now fills with liquid and then …现在头部充满了液体接下来……there…你看…it …drinks.它喝水了It becomes upright and the liquid drains from the head.它直立后液体从头部排出Liquid rises again to the head and…液体再一次上升到头部……the bird drinks again.饮水鸟再一次喝水This cycle repeats until all of the isopropyl alcohol on the bird ’s head evaporates.这个过程循环往复直到鸟头上的异丙醇都蒸发掉Why does the liquid rise?为什么液面会上升呢？The place to begin is with the bird’s manufacture.我们从饮水鸟的制造说起The bird is filled through this “tap ”—a small pipe built into the head —通过装在头部里的小管子即龙头with methylene chloride dyed red, which is then frozen,向鸟内装入冷冻的染成红色的二氯甲烷a vacuum applied to evacuate the air,抽走空气形成真空the tap sealed ( and of course, later hidden by the bird’s hat )…把龙头密封(当然后来被鸟帽盖住了)And then the methylene chloride melts:之后二氯甲烷融化It turns to liquid and then some of it evaporates（turns into vapor）.转变为液态其中部分二氯甲烷蒸发(变成蒸汽)The ke y to the bird’s operation is饮水鸟运转的关键就在于that the vapor in the head and in the base are separated by the liquid in the base.头部和底部的气体被底部的液体所隔离It’s hard to see,这很难看清楚but the tube extends into the base, nearly reaching the bottom.不过管子延伸到底部几乎接触到底面This separates the vapor in base and the vapor in the tube 使得底部和管中的气体隔离……and …of course, the head.当然还有头部的气体So, at rest the pressure in these two spaces are equal,在静止状态这两个空间的压强相等but when the bird’s beak is wet,但当鸟喙湿润时the temperature falls鸟喙温度下降and as I’ll explain in a moment the pressure in the head drops头部的压强下降这个我稍后会解释below that in the base and the liquid rises.降到低于底部的压强然后液面上升Of course this liquid in the head causes the bird to…tilt forward, to drink …自然头部的液体导致饮水鸟向前倾斜喝水and when it drinks,当它喝水时the vapor in the head and the base are connected,头部和底部的蒸汽连通the pressures is nearly equalize两端压强几乎相等—a slug of vapor rises to the top and some liquid drains from the head一股蒸汽上升到头部迫使部分液体流出and then the cycle repeats.然后循环重复To see the pressure equalize为了看到压强平衡过程l will slow down the bird as I tilt it forward.我会慢一点倾斜饮水鸟Right now the head is half full.现在头部已经半满了When I tilt it you see a slug of vapor go from bottom to top.当它倾斜时可以看见一股蒸汽从底部升到顶部I’ve tilted it far enough forward我把它倾斜得够多that the liquid in the head is below the top of the tube以至于头部的液面低于管子的顶端and the liquid in the base is below the section of the tube that almost reaches the bottom of the bird.同时底部液面也低于几乎触底的管子底端This allows the pressure to equalize,这样头部和底部的压强相等and as the bird becomes upright而当饮水鸟站起来时the liquid returns to the base before the cycle starts again.液体会在下一次循环开始之前返回到底部In operation it doesn’t tilt quite this far forward实际运转时它不会向前倾斜这么多and so the pressures don’t fully equalize.因此压强不会完全平衡Why, though, does the pressure in the head drop as the temperature falls?那么头部压强为何会随着温度下降而下降呢？You can see the answer if I shoot cool, compressed gas across the bird’s head.你看我向头部射低温压缩气体就知道答案了As the cool gas strikes,遇到低温气体时you see liquid condensing inside the head;头部内壁出现了冷凝的液体and, as you see on the left,正如你在左图看到的this causes the liquid in the base to rise.这导致底部的液面上升The cool gas withdraws energy as heat from the head,低温气体带走头部的热量causing some of the methylene chloride vapor inside to condense –to turn into a liquid.导致头部部分二氯甲烷气体冷凝成液体This decreases dramatically the amount of vapor in the head.这大大减少了头部的气体体积Liquid is 1,000 times more dense than vapor.液体的密度是气体的1000倍This in turn lowers the pressure in the head and causes the liquid to rise.结果降低了头部的压强使液面上升I used compressed gas to cool the head我用压缩气体给头部降温because I can control the amount of cooling;因为我可以控制降温的程度the bird, though, cools its head by “drinking.”然而饮水鸟通过喝水来降温The head is wrapped in fabric that absorbs water.其头部包裹在吸水的织物中。
稻草建筑材料在未来是否成为可能？露易丝·蒂克尔用稻草修房子并没有为《三只小猪》中的第一只带来任何好处，但是，如果巴斯大学的研究成果被建筑行业所接受的话，那么现代草砖将会成为未来的伟大设计。
说到一个草砖房子，你可能会联想到一个摇摇欲坠的窝棚，它漏水，发出吱吱的响声，随时都会垮塌在地，还带着类似农家的气息。
但是当你踏入BaleHaus的时候，一个被修建于巴斯大学校园里，看起来原始的当代房屋，将会令你吃惊地出展现在你面前，并且，你会发现你无法找到任何一缕稻草。
相反，你在一楼的走廊将会看到一个拥有两间卧室和一个浴室的倒置房子，和楼上一个通风的开放式的生活区。
这就像是从斯堪的纳维亚半岛抵达了萨默赛特郡。
这些由石灰做底泥制成的，干燥稻草捆，原来都是被紧紧捆住并放置于一系列预制好的木质矩形框架结构的墙中的，它们像乐高拼装玩具一样被嵌入一个叫做ModCell 的嵌板中。
这些“草屋”存在的问题似乎并不在于它们并不实用，而是人们意识到它们有点非主流，并且并不是特别耐用。
再加上，这样的草屋很难拿去获得抵押贷款。
巴斯大学BRE的建筑材料创新中心的主管Peter Walker 教授指出，稻草的好处在于：“它是便宜、易于广泛应用的良好绝缘体材料，它被用在房屋建筑上已经好几百年。
”作为整个世界的工业副产品——这些秸秆在谷物收获以后被留下——只要它们不分解，就仍然有效地吸收和固定大气中的碳。
对于建筑行业来说，当前所依赖的材料是无论在生产还是运输上都具有极高的能耗和碳消耗的嵌入式混凝土和砖——因此，稻草可以为解决温室气体排放这一问题提供一个友好的解决方案。
无论这个草屋看上去有多时髦，多现代化还是多环保，你仍然想要知道它是否会在雷电交加的暴风雨中被淋得湿透或者是否会因你打翻的蜡烛，而被被嗖嗖的火焰烧的精光。
Walker 教授和他的研究伙伴公布了他们的研究结果，Dr Katharine Beadle 花费了18个月的时间，通过一个详尽的危险因素清单去测试这个BaleHaus被腐蚀、烧毁、吹倒的可能，到目前为止，这个房子看来似乎是可靠的。
✩Warm-up questions:1. What is the definition of a telephone? What about a mobile phone?2. Do you know how to express the followings in English?•投币电话•信用卡电话•磁卡电话•可视电话•同线电话•人工电话•自动电话•台式电话•墙上电话•按键式电话•拨盘式电话•免提电话机•个人通讯话机•无线电话•移动电话•coin call•credit card call •magnetic card telephone •video phone•party line•manual telephone •automatic telephone •desk phone•wall phone•touch phone•dial phone•handsfree telephone •PCS phone•cordless phone •mobile phones3. How does a mobile phone work?•Mobile telephones are two-way radios. When you receive a call on your mobile phone, the message travels through the telephone network until it reaches a base station close to your phone. The base station then sends out radio waves that are detected by a receiver in your telephone, where the signals are changed back into voice or data.4. What about the future of our mobile phone？Our phone will be faster.Our phone will also connect on faster networks.Our phone will be smarter.Our phone will store more.Our phone will play music we bought elsewhere, or music we bought through our phone.Video phones won't look like baseball bats.TV is coming.Text A Your Next ComputerText Organization (p.144)- Five PartsPart One Paras. 1-3 Part Two Paras. 4-5Part Three Paras. 6-9 Part Four Paras. 10-12Part Five Paras. 13-14✩Part One Paras. 1-3Now people spend cou ntless / many hours using their mobile phone‘s Internet connection to download, check or send messages .Obsolete (L. 3 –introduction) a. no longer in use or no longer useful 已废弃的,过时的Eg.公司计划淘汰这些设备，因为它们已经报废了。
《New Technologies in Everyday Life Reading and Writing》作业设计方案（第一课时）一、作业目标：通过本次作业，学生应能：1. 熟练掌握和运用科技英语的相关词汇和表达方式；2. 能够阅读并理解一篇关于日常生活新技术的短文；3. 能够在规定时间内完成一篇关于日常生活新技术的短文写作；4. 培养和提高英语阅读和写作能力，同时增强对科技英语的理解和运用能力。
二、作业内容：1. 阅读理解：阅读一篇关于日常生活新技术的短文（如智能家居、无人驾驶、虚拟现实等），完成以下任务：* 回答短文后的问题；* 标注出你认为重要的词汇和表达方式；* 理解文章大意，总结文章的主要内容。
2. 写作任务：以“新技术在日常生活中的应用”为题，写一篇100字左右的小短文，描述一项你熟悉的新技术及其在日常生活中的应用。
要求：* 使用科技英语词汇和表达方式；* 语法正确，表达清晰；* 尽量使用至少一种修辞手法（如比喻、拟人等）。
三、作业要求：1. 按时提交作业，作业需为独立完成；2. 作业中标注出的重要词汇和表达方式应加以解释和记忆；3. 写作任务应按照题目要求完成，字数应符合要求；4. 作业应使用英文完成。
四、作业评价：1. 作业完成情况：检查作业是否按时提交，是否为独立完成；2. 阅读理解部分：根据学生的回答情况，检查学生对科技英语词汇和表达方式的理解和运用能力；3. 写作部分：根据学生的短文内容，检查学生的语法、表达清晰度以及修辞手法的使用情况。
五、作业反馈：教师将在批改完作业后，向学生提供反馈，包括对作业的整体评价以及个人建议。
学生将收到关于自己作业的详细反馈，包括需要改进的地方以及如何提高的建议。
通过这种方式，学生可以更好地了解自己的学习情况，并针对自己的弱点进行改进。
作业设计方案（第二课时）一、作业目标：1. 复习并巩固学生对于日常生活新技术词汇的理解和运用；2. 提高学生对于日常生活新技术相关文章的阅读理解能力；3. 培养学生的写作能力，能够撰写一篇关于日常生活新技术的短文。
科技英语阅读与翻译全文Humanitarian Aid in SpaceSpace exploration technology will benefit developing countries in a variety of ways. Whether it's information about climate change or communication technologies that give remote areas access to the world outside, space science can come to the aid of vulnerable people in many countries.For the past two decades, Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) has been sending humanitarian aid dispatched from its space platform. This ambitious project has proved successful, and it’s been praised for its achievements in various aspects.The two strategic areas set forth for JAXA’s humanitarian aid effort are science and education. JAXA’s donations of books and puzzle sets are enabling elementary and junior high school kids in India to study science and math. There are plans to utilize remote sensing data to map out natural resources in Nepalese countryside and expand education related to environmental issues in Vietnam. In addition the agency is sending educational videos to the island nation of Palau tobetter understand their own local wildlife.JAXA is considered to be a pioneer in this area since the launch of their humanitarian aid initiative in 1997. The organization strives to make use of space applications for social welfare and reduce disparities in the world through a number of practical endeavors. The effort currently has a global reach, with projects taking place in seven continent, from Latin America to Africa.JAXA’s humanitarian aid programs will continue to grow with better technology and increased resources. The ongoing work reinforces the concept that space science and technology have the potential to contribute to enhancing the lives of people on Earth.人道主义援助在太空太空探索技术将在各个方面受益于发展中国家。
正在消失的计算机到2010年，我们将被计算机包围吗？是的，但我们却觉察不出来。
—比尔•盖茨（微软公司总裁和首席软件设计师）几年后，普通家庭娱乐系统可能与现在并没有太大的区别，但它很可能具有网络连接功能，用来下载和播放数字音乐和视频，在电视上显示艺术作品集和歌曲的名字，甚至收到重要邮件时打断正在播放的内容来提示你。
它将拥有一个中央处理器、磁盘存储器、制图硬件和某种直观的计算机用户界面。
如果再在加上一个无线鼠标和键盘，这个家庭娱乐系统看起来便很像是一台个人电脑。
人们会大量购买和使用这些系统吗？当然会。
他们会认为这种系统就是电脑吗？也许不会。
根据格特纳信息咨询公司（一家美国研究公司）的统计，世界计算机业在2002年销售了第10亿台个人电脑，而还有10亿台电脑预计在此后的6年中生产出来。
第一批的10亿台电脑几乎都是传统的台式机和笔记本电脑，但第二批的10亿台电脑将会明显不同，人们对它们进行了尽可能的完善，使它们能更好的按照人们的期望运作，例如便签大小的电脑，开会时我们可以用它来做笔记，或是躺在床上阅读电子邮件；娱乐型电脑，用来在客厅电视上播放音乐和电影；袖珍型电脑，用它无论在哪都能与他人保持联系。
除此之外，还有各种数量庞大的嵌入式计算机（如在手机、加油站和零售终端设备中使用的计算机），在功能和复杂性方面正迅速赶上台式电脑。
据估计，有意无意美国人每天会接触到大约150个嵌入式计算机系统。
这些系统使用了现在生产的90% ％的微处理器，它们将不可避免地呈现出更多个人电脑的特点，而且能够与传统PC机进行无缝对接。
这一系统将无处不在。
根据半导体工业协会的调查，在2001年，世界芯片业为地球上的每位个男士人，女士妇女和儿童生产了大约6千万个晶体管，这一数字到2010年将上升为10亿。
与此同时，今天的多功能PC机将继续在大多数人的生活中发挥重要（而且是越来越重要）的作用，但其中心地位将体现在今天大部分人不认为是“电脑”的各类智能设备中。
关于科技的英文阅读，适合初中八年级学生Technology has become an integral part of our daily lives in the modern world. It has transformed the way we live, work, and communicate with one another. From the invention of the wheel to the development of the internet, technology has continuously evolved, bringing about significant changes and advancements in various aspects of our lives.One of the most remarkable advancements in technology has been the rise of digital devices and the internet. The internet has revolutionized the way we access and share information, connect with others, and conduct our daily activities. With just a few clicks, we can access a vast amount of knowledge, communicate with people across the globe, and even work remotely from the comfort of our homes.The integration of technology in education has also been a game-changer. Digital tools and resources have made learning more engaging, interactive, and accessible. Students can now access a wealth of information online, participate in virtual classrooms, andcollaborate with their peers through various digital platforms. This has not only improved the overall learning experience but has also made education more inclusive, allowing students from different backgrounds and locations to access quality education.Another significant impact of technology has been on the healthcare industry. Advancements in medical technology have led to the development of life-saving devices, improved diagnostic tools, and more efficient treatment methods. Telemedicine, for instance, has made it possible for patients to receive medical care remotely, reducing the need for in-person visits and increasing access to healthcare services, especially in remote or underserved areas.The integration of technology in various industries has also led to increased efficiency and productivity. Automation and artificial intelligence have revolutionized manufacturing processes, streamlining operations and reducing the need for manual labor. Similarly, the use of data analytics and machine learning has enabled businesses to make more informed decisions, optimize their processes, and better understand their customers.However, with the rapid advancements in technology, there have also been concerns and challenges that need to be addressed. One of the primary concerns is the impact of technology on the environment. The production and use of electronic devices, as well asthe energy consumption required to power them, have contributed to increased greenhouse gas emissions and environmental degradation. Addressing these issues through the development of sustainable technologies and responsible consumption practices is crucial for ensuring a greener future.Another concern is the impact of technology on social interactions and mental health. The widespread use of social media and digital devices has led to concerns about decreased face-to-face interactions, increased social isolation, and the potential for cyberbullying and online harassment. It is important to strike a balance between the benefits of technology and the need to maintain healthy social connections and mental well-being.Furthermore, the rapid pace of technological change has also led to concerns about job displacement and the need for continuous skill development. As automation and artificial intelligence continue to transform various industries, individuals must be prepared to adapt and acquire new skills to remain competitive in the job market.Despite these challenges, the benefits of technology are undeniable. It has the potential to improve our lives in countless ways, from enhancing our education and healthcare systems to increasing our productivity and efficiency. As we continue to navigate the ever-evolving landscape of technology, it is essential that we approach itwith a critical and responsible mindset, ensuring that the advancements we make are not only innovative but also sustainable and beneficial to society as a whole.In conclusion, technology has played a pivotal role in shaping our modern world. While it has brought about numerous benefits, it has also presented us with new challenges that require careful consideration and responsible management. By embracing technology while also addressing its potential drawbacks, we can harness its power to create a better future for ourselves and generations to come.。
稻草建筑材料在未来是否成为可能？露易丝·蒂克尔用稻草修房子并没有为《三只小猪》中的第一只带来任何好处，但是，如果巴斯大学的研究成果被建筑行业所接受的话，那么现代草砖将会成为未来的伟大设计。
说到一个草砖房子，你可能会联想到一个摇摇欲坠的窝棚，它漏水，发出吱吱的响声，随时都会垮塌在地，还带着类似农家的气息。
但是当你踏入BaleHaus的时候，一个被修建于巴斯大学校园里，看起来原始的当代房屋，将会令你吃惊地出展现在你面前，并且，你会发现你无法找到任何一缕稻草。
相反，你在一楼的走廊将会看到一个拥有两间卧室和一个浴室的倒置房子，和楼上一个通风的开放式的生活区。
这就像是从斯堪的纳维亚半岛抵达了萨默赛特郡。
这些由石灰做底泥制成的，干燥稻草捆，原来都是被紧紧捆住并放置于一系列预制好的木质矩形框架结构的墙中的，它们像乐高拼装玩具一样被嵌入一个叫做ModCell 的嵌板中。
这些“草屋”存在的问题似乎并不在于它们并不实用，而是人们意识到它们有点非主流，并且并不是特别耐用。
再加上，这样的草屋很难拿去获得抵押贷款。
巴斯大学BRE的建筑材料创新中心的主管Peter Walker 教授指出，稻草的好处在于：“它是便宜、易于广泛应用的良好绝缘体材料，它被用在房屋建筑上已经好几百年。
”作为整个世界的工业副产品——这些秸秆在谷物收获以后被留下——只要它们不分解，就仍然有效地吸收和固定大气中的碳。
对于建筑行业来说，当前所依赖的材料是无论在生产还是运输上都具有极高的能耗和碳消耗的嵌入式混凝土和砖——因此，稻草可以为解决温室气体排放这一问题提供一个友好的解决方案。
无论这个草屋看上去有多时髦，多现代化还是多环保，你仍然想要知道它是否会在雷电交加的暴风雨中被淋得湿透或者是否会因你打翻的蜡烛，而被被嗖嗖的火焰烧的精光。
Walker 教授和他的研究伙伴公布了他们的研究结果，Dr Katharine Beadle 花费了18个月的时间，通过一个详尽的危险因素清单去测试这个BaleHaus被腐蚀、烧毁、吹倒的可能，到目前为止，这个房子看来似乎是可靠的。
