1、NEW HORIZON ENGLISH COURSES Book Two1Unit 9Improvement in Appliances1Around the Topic2Section A3Section B4Section CLeading in Exploring the TopicPlus ActivitiesWarming-upText AExercisesBackground InformationReading ThroughExercisesRelated KnowledgeSample ReadingExercisesUseful Terms2Section BSection
2、 CSection AExploring the TopicPlus ActivitiesAround the TopicAdvanced technology can certainly make life more comfortable and convenient. To be A High-Tech Woman might be the dream of many young people, especially young office ladies. That type of life is really all fun and excitement! Now some appl
3、iance-makers are building appliances that are smarter than most of their owners. But are you willing to be faced with a total of 110 buttons when you want to watch television? Or do you really need a fridge that will tell you: “Your milk is out of date?” Remember: In order to use that type of fridge
4、, youll have to read a whole book written in terms that are beyond understanding! Section BSection CSection ALeading inPlus ActivitiesAround the TopicYou must have heard of some so-called “smart” household appliances with many new features, and they are supposed to make our life more comfortable and
5、 convenient. Now it is said that in Work in pairs and ask each other the following questions while checking () the answers and providing your own in the blanks. Please notice that the questions are open-ended with no right or wrong answers. the near future we would live in homes where all appliances
6、 are connected to the Internet. Would this be possible? Section BSection CSection ALeading inPlus ActivitiesAround the Topic1. In your opinion, what “smart” appliances would be available in the near future? I think it might beMy partner thinks it might be pa microwave oven that can cook a delicious
7、dish according to my order pa refrigerator that can know when its out of bread pa computer that can operate according to oral instructions pa microwave oven that can cook a delicious dish according to his order pa refrigerator that can know when its out of bread pa computer that can operate accordin
8、g to oral instructions Section BSection CSection ALeading inPlus ActivitiesAround the Topic2. What are the advantages of “smart” appliances?pthey are designed to be simple and easy to operate pthey make things convenient and save us labor ( 劳力) and time pthey save us money by combining many function
9、s in one appliance I think My partner thinks pthey are designed to be simple and easy to operate pthey make things convenient and save us labor ( 劳力) and time pthey save us money by combining many functions in one appliance Section BSection CSection ALeading inPlus ActivitiesAround the Topic3. What
10、are the disadvantages of “smart” appliances? I think My partner thinks ptheir new features are uselesspthey cost more than they are worth pthey are easy to break down with so many functions pthey are too difficult to operate ptheir new features are uselesspthey cost more than they are worth pthey ar
11、e easy to break down with so many functions pthey are too difficult to operate Section BSection CSection ALeading inExploring the TopicAround the TopicA. Directions: You will hear a short passage. Listen carefully and answer the following questions.1. Do you agree that technology has improved people
12、s life?2. Has technology brought any disadvantages to our life?keykeySection BSection CSection ALeading inExploring the TopicAround the TopicSuggested answer: No doubt, technology has changed so much of todays world and our life. Due to technology, we are now living more comfortable and convenient l
13、ives. The invention of computer had done great help in our daily work and study. With modern electric appliances our home life is much more enjoyable than ever . ReturnSection BSection CSection ALeading inExploring the TopicAround the TopicSuggested answer: However, technology advances have caused s
14、ome new, complicated, even dangerous problems. Cars and some household appliances are dangerous sources which damage our ozone layer (臭氧层臭氧层). In our modern life, ironically we find ourselves being enslaved more and more by technology instead of being freed by it.ReturnSection BSection CSection ALea
15、ding inExploring the TopicAround the TopicB. Questions & Answers1. What “smart” appliances would you like to have?2. Do you think “smart” appliances are good or not?keykeySection BSection CSection ALeading inExploring the TopicAround the TopicSuggested answer: A housewife may want to have a microwav
16、e oven that can cook delicious dishes according to her order; an engineer may want a computer that can operate according to oral instructions. But I would like to have video camera to keep record of the beautiful things in my life.ReturnSection BSection CSection ALeading inExploring the TopicAround
17、the TopicSuggested answer: Different people have different views on this question. Some think that “smart” appliances are good because they make things convenient and save us labor and time and save our money by combining manyfunctions in one appliance. While others argue that “smart” appliances are
18、 not good because their new features are useless; they cost more than they are worth; they are easy to break down with so many functions and they are too difficult to operate. ReturnSection BSection CSection ALeading inExploring the TopicAround the TopicWatch the Video and BrainstormSection BSection
19、 CAround the TopicSection ASection A:Im Toast in the Battle Against “Smart” AppliancesText AExercisesSection BSection CAround the TopicSection ADo you think machines will be smarter than man? Read the following excerpts from Wikipedia, and discuss your opinion with your classmates. Human-computer ch
20、ess matches Chess computers were first able to beat strong chess players in the late 1980s. Their most famous success was the victory of Deep Blue over then World Chess Champion Garry Kasparov in 1997, but there was some controversy (争议争议) over whether the match conditions favored the computer.Text
21、AExercisesSection BSection CAround the TopicSection AIn 2002-2003 three human-computer matches were drawn. But whereas Deep Blue was a specialized machine, these were chess programs running on commercially available computers.After convincing victories in two matches in 2005 and 2006, it appears tha
22、t chess programs can now defeat even the strongest chess players.Warming-upExercisesSection BSection CAround the TopicSection AIm Toast in the Battle Against “Smart” AppliancesRecently, The Washington Post printed an article explaining how the appliance manufacturers plan to drive customers up the w
23、all. Of course they dont SAY that exactly. Para. 1“智能”电器，我算服你了最近，华盛顿邮报刊登了一篇文章，报道了电器制造商们逼疯顾客的计划。当然他们的原话不是这么说的。Warming-upExercisesSection BSection CAround the TopicSection AWhat they SAY they want to do is to have us live in homes where “all appliances are connected to the Internet, sharing informatio
24、n”, and that appliances will be “smarter than most of their owners”. For example, you could have a dishwasher that “can be turned on from the office”, and a refrigerator that “knows when its out of milk”. Para. 1他们说他们想要做的是让我们“所有家用电器都连上互联网以便共享信息”，而且，电器将会“比大多数主人更聪明”。比如说，你可以拥有一个“能在办公室里启动开关”的洗碗机和一个“知道什么
25、时候牛奶喝光了”的电冰箱。Warming-upExercisesSection BSection CAround the TopicSection ABut listen, appliance manufacturers: we dont NEED a dishwasher that we can communicate with from the office. If you want to improve our dishwashers, give us one that senses when people leave dirty dishes on the kitchen table,
26、 and shouts, “Put that bowl in the dishwasher right now or Ill get your shoes all wet!”Para. 2但是听着，电器制造商们：我们不需要能在办公室里与之交流的洗碗机。如果你们想改进我们的洗碗机，那就发明出这样一个来：当人们把脏碗盆放在厨房桌子上时，它能感觉到，并且大叫：“马上把碗放到洗碗机里去，不然我就把你的鞋弄湿！”Warming-upExercisesSection BSection CAround the TopicSection ALikewise, we dont need a refrigerat
27、or that knows when its out of milk. We already have an effective system for determining that: we ask our husbands or wives. A real improvement would be a fridge that refuses to let us open its doors when it senses that we are about to eat our fourth piece of pie in two hours.Para. 3同样，我们不需要知道什么时候牛奶喝
28、光的冰箱，我们已经有了确定这种情况的有效体制：我们可以去问自己的丈夫或妻子。真正改良的智能冰箱应当在察觉到我们两个小时内吃第四块馅饼时，就不让我们开冰箱门了。Warming-upExercisesSection BSection CAround the TopicSection AHere is what really disturbs me about these new “smart” appliances: even if we like the features, we wont be able to use them. We cant use the appliance featur
29、es we have NOW. I have a feature-packed telephone with 43 buttons, at least 20 of which I am afraid to touch. Para. 4这些新型“智能”家用电器真正让我烦心的是：即使我们喜欢这样的特别功能，也不会使用。我们甚至连现在已有的功能都不会用。我有一部全功能电话机，有43个按键，其中至少有20个键我碰都不敢碰。Warming-upExercisesSection BSection CAround the TopicSection AMy phone is probably equipped
30、 to communicate with the dead, but I dont know how to operate it, just as I dont know how to operate my television set, which has features requiring TWO remote controls. One control (44 buttons) came with the television; a second (66 buttons) came with the VCR (Video Cassette Recorder).Para. 4我的电话机也
31、许有与死人通话的功能，可我不知道如何操作。同样我也不知道如何操作我的电视机，因为它的某些功能需要两部遥控器来控制。其中一个遥控器（有44个按键）和电视机配套，还有一个（66个按键）和 VCR（盒式磁带录放影机）配套。Warming-upExercisesSection BSection CAround the TopicSection ASo when I want to watch television, I m faced with a total of 110 buttons, identified by such helpful names as PIP, MTS, DBS and J
32、UMP. Though there are two POWER buttons, there are timesespecially if my son and his friends have changed the settingswhen I cannot figure out how to turn the television on. Para. 5所以我想看电视的时候，我总共要面对110个按钮，上面还标着诸如 PIP、MTS、DBS 和 JUMP 这样有用的名称。虽然有两个开关键，可有的时候特别是我儿子和他的朋友改变了设定之后我连怎么开电视机都搞不懂。Warming-upExerc
33、isesSection BSection CAround the TopicSection AI stand there, holding two remote controls, pressing buttons at random, until eventually I give up and go turn on the dishwasher. It has honestly been years since I have successfully recorded a television programthat is how “smart” my appliances have be
34、come.Para. 5我站在那儿，拿着两只遥控器，漫无目标地按着按钮，直到最后不得不放弃，只好去开洗碗机洗碗。老实说，我已经有些年头没有录成电视节目了瞧我的家用电器变得何等的“聪明”!Warming-upExercisesSection BSection CAround the TopicSection AAnd now the appliance manufacturers want to give us MORE features. Do you know what this means? It means that some night youll open your “smart”
35、refrigerator, looking for a beer, and youll hear a cheerful recorded voice declaring, “Your milk is out of date.” You will not know how your refrigerator knows this, and, whats worse, you will not know who else your refrigerator is informing about it.Para. 6而现在电器制造商还想要给我们提供更多的特别功能。你知道这意味着什么吗？这意味着有一天
36、晚上，你打开你的“智能”冰箱想找一瓶啤酒，而你将听到悦耳的录音在宣布：“你的牛奶过期了。”你会纳闷这事儿你的冰箱怎么会知道，更糟的是，你也不知道你的冰箱还要把这事儿告诉谁。Warming-upExercisesSection BSection CAround the TopicSection AYet, to make the refrigerator stop, youll have to read a whole book written in terms that are beyond comprehension.Dear customers, is this the kind of f
37、uture you want? Do you want household appliances that are smarter than you? Of course you dont!Para. 7-8但是，要让冰箱住嘴，你得看完整整一本天书一样的说明书。亲爱的顾客，这是你想要的未来吗？你想要比你更聪明的家用电器吗？不！绝不！Warming-upExercisesSection BSection CAround the TopicSection ASo, I am urging you to let the appliance industry know that when it com
38、es to “smart” appliances, you say “NO!” But you need to act quickly, because as you are reading this, your microwave is saying “YES!”Para. 9 所以，我奉劝你快让电器制造商知道：你要对“智能”电器说“不”。但你必须赶快采取行动，因为在你读这篇文章时，你的微波炉在说“是”。Warming-upExercisesSection BSection CAround the TopicSection A The author expresses her negativ
39、e opinions about “smart” appliances. At the beginning of the text, the author tells us that the appliance manufacturers want to have us live in houses where “all appliances are connected to the Internet, sharing information”. The author directly points out that she does not like this idea. She suppo
40、rts her idea by talking about the trouble she has with her own “smart” appliances. The examples show that they are slow and useless although they have so many features. Then the author goes on to point out what the appliance manufacturers want to do is just to give us more features while ignoring th
41、e real need of customers. So the author appeals to the customers not to buy such “smart” appliances.Warming-upExercisesSection BSection CAround the TopicSection AMain idea: Urging the readers to take action: saying “no” to such appliances.Main idea: Reasons against such appliances: 1) We dont know h
42、ow to use the appliance features. (Paras. 4 and 5) 2) Manufacturers want to give us more features. (Paras. 6, 7 and 8)Main idea: 1) Introducing the problem by quoting an article from The Washington Post. (Para. 1) 2) Stating the authors position: “We dont need” such “smart” appliances. (Paras. 2 and
43、 3)Part II: Para. 4-8Part III: Para. 9Part I: Para. 1-3Warming-upExercisesSection BSection CAround the TopicSection A1Meaning: Im completely defeated in the battle against the new appliances that are smarter than their owners.2Meaning: Lately, The Washington Post printed an article which explained h
44、ow the firms that produce appliances plan to make customers angry or even mad.Im Toast in the Battle Against “Smart” Appliances Recently, The Washington Post printed an article explaining how the appliance manufacturers plan to drive customers up the wall. Warming-upExercisesSection BSection CAround
45、 the TopicSection A3Meaning: Of course the appliance manufacturers dont use the words “drive customers up the wall”.4Meaning: What the appliance manufacturers declare is that they want to provide the customers with household appliances that are all connected to the Internet, that can share informati
46、on with their owners, and that are cleverer than most of their users.Of course they dont SAY that exactly. What they SAY they want to do is to have us live in homes where “all appliances are connected to the Internet, sharing information”, and that appliances will be “smarter than most of their owne
47、rs”. Warming-upExercisesSection BSection CAround the TopicSection A5Meaning: For example, you could have a dishwasher at home which you can turn on even when you are in the office, and a refrigerator that would let you know when there is no milk left in it.6Meaning: But let me tell you, appliance ma
48、nufacturers: We dont NEED a dishwasher that can be operated when we are in the office.For example, you could have a dishwasher that “can be turned on from the office,” and a refrigerator that “knows when its out of milk”. But listen, appliance manufacturers: We dont NEED a dishwasher that we can com
49、municate with from the office. Warming-upExercisesSection BSection CAround the TopicSection A7Meaning: If you want to make our dishwashers better, give us one like this: When people forget to put the dirty dishes into the dishwasher to be washed, it knows and will then urge them to do so in a loud v
50、oice, “Put that bowl in the dishwasher at once, Otherwise I will make your shoes completely wet!”If you want to improve our dishwashers, give us one that senses when people leave dirty dishes on the kitchen table, and shouts, “Put that bowl in the dishwasher right now or Ill get your shoes all wet!”
