Passage One
The making of glass is a very old industry--at least 4,500 years old. Glass has many extraordinary qualities and it is frequently being used in new ways.
One of the most interesting new uses for glass is in telephone communication. Scientists have developed glass fibers as thin as human hair, which are designed to can-y light signals. When the light reaches the other end, it is first changed into electrical signals, which are in turn converted into sound messages.
Called light wave communication, the new system was used successfully in an experiment in Chicago in 1997. During the experiment, two glass fibers were able to carry 672 conversations at the same time. The lightwave cable, containing 144 glass fibers, has the capacity to carry 50,000 conversations at the same time.
The lightwave communication system has two important advantages. First, the glass fiber cables are smaller and weigh less than copper. Second, they cost less.
Perhaps it can be said that telephone communication has entered the age of light.

From the passage, you can tell that people prefer glass fiber cables to copper cables because （）

A:glass fiber is less expensive B:glass fiber delivers messages directly C:glass fiber is more up to date D:glass fiber is easier to make

From the passage, you can tell that people prefer glass fiber cables to copper cables because ______.

A:glass fiber is less expensive B:glass fiber delivers messages directly C:glass fiber is more up to date D:glass fiber is easier to make

1)New research published today in the journal Nature Communications, has demonstrated how glass can be manipulated to create a material that will allow computers to transfer information using light. This development could significantly increase computer processing speeds and power in the future. 2)The research by the University of Surrey, in collaboration with the University of Cambridge and the University of Southampton, has found it is possible to change the electronic properties of amorphous chalcogenides, a glass material integral to data technologies such as CDs and DVDs. By using a technique called ion doping, the team of researchers have discovered a material that could use light to bring together different computing functions into one component, leading to all-optical systems. 3)Computers currently use electrons to transfer information and process applications. On the other hand, data sources such as the internet rely on optical systems; the transfer of information using light. Optical fibres are used to send information around the world at the speed of light, but these signals then have to be converted to electrical signalsonce they reach a computer, causing a significant slowdown in processing. 4)"The challenge is to find a single material that can effectively use and control light to carry information around a computer. Much like how the web uses light to deliver information, we want to use light to both deliver and process computer data," said project leader, Dr Richard Curry of the University of Surrey. 5)"This has eluded researchers for decades, but now we have now shown how a widely used glass can be manipulated to conduct negative electrons, as well as positive charges, creating what are known as ’pn-junction’ devices. This should enable the material to act as a light source, a light guide and a light detector - something that can carry and interpret optical information. In doing so, this could transform the computers of tomorrow, allowing them to effectively process information at much faster speeds." 6)The researchers expect that the results of this research will be integrated into computers within ten years. In the short term, the glass is already being developed and used in next-generation computer memory technology known as CRAM, which may ultimately be integrated with the advances reported.

The result of the research can help computers to increase （　）.

A:optical information B:processing speeds C:electrons D:positive charges E:data technologies F:all-optical systems

1)New research published today in the journal Nature Communications, has demonstrated how glass can be manipulated to create a material that will allow computers to transfer information using light. This development could significantly increase computer processing speeds and power in the future. 2)The research by the University of Surrey, in collaboration with the University of Cambridge and the University of Southampton, has found it is possible to change the electronic properties of amorphous chalcogenides, a glass material integral to data technologies such as CDs and DVDs. By using a technique called ion doping, the team of researchers have discovered a material that could use light to bring together different computing functions into one component, leading to all-optical systems. 3)Computers currently use electrons to transfer information and process applications. On the other hand, data sources such as the internet rely on optical systems; the transfer of information using light. Optical fibres are used to send information around the world at the speed of light, but these signals then have to be converted to electrical signalsonce they reach a computer, causing a significant slowdown in processing. 4)"The challenge is to find a single material that can effectively use and control light to carry information around a computer. Much like how the web uses light to deliver information, we want to use light to both deliver and process computer data," said project leader, Dr Richard Curry of the University of Surrey. 5)"This has eluded researchers for decades, but now we have now shown how a widely used glass can be manipulated to conduct negative electrons, as well as positive charges, creating what are known as ’pn-junction’ devices. This should enable the material to act as a light source, a light guide and a light detector - something that can carry and interpret optical information. In doing so, this could transform the computers of tomorrow, allowing them to effectively process information at much faster speeds." 6)The researchers expect that the results of this research will be integrated into computers within ten years. In the short term, the glass is already being developed and used in next-generation computer memory technology known as CRAM, which may ultimately be integrated with the advances reported.

Current computers transfer information using （　）

A:optical information B:processing speeds C:electrons D:positive charges E:data technologies F:all-optical systems

1)New research published today in the journal Nature Communications, has demonstrated how glass can be manipulated to create a material that will allow computers to transfer information using light. This development could significantly increase computer processing speeds and power in the future. 2)The research by the University of Surrey, in collaboration with the University of Cambridge and the University of Southampton, has found it is possible to change the electronic properties of amorphous chalcogenides, a glass material integral to data technologies such as CDs and DVDs. By using a technique called ion doping, the team of researchers have discovered a material that could use light to bring together different computing functions into one component, leading to all-optical systems. 3)Computers currently use electrons to transfer information and process applications. On the other hand, data sources such as the internet rely on optical systems; the transfer of information using light. Optical fibres are used to send information around the world at the speed of light, but these signals then have to be converted to electrical signalsonce they reach a computer, causing a significant slowdown in processing. 4)"The challenge is to find a single material that can effectively use and control light to carry information around a computer. Much like how the web uses light to deliver information, we want to use light to both deliver and process computer data," said project leader, Dr Richard Curry of the University of Surrey. 5)"This has eluded researchers for decades, but now we have now shown how a widely used glass can be manipulated to conduct negative electrons, as well as positive charges, creating what are known as ’pn-junction’ devices. This should enable the material to act as a light source, a light guide and a light detector - something that can carry and interpret optical information. In doing so, this could transform the computers of tomorrow, allowing them to effectively process information at much faster speeds." 6)The researchers expect that the results of this research will be integrated into computers within ten years. In the short term, the glass is already being developed and used in next-generation computer memory technology known as CRAM, which may ultimately be integrated with the advances reported.

The new glass material makes it possible to fulfill different computing function （　）

A:optical information B:processing speeds C:electrons D:positive charges E:data technologies F:all-optical systems

1)New research published today in the journal Nature Communications, has demonstrated how glass can be manipulated to create a material that will allow computers to transfer information using light. This development could significantly increase computer processing speeds and power in the future. 2)The research by the University of Surrey, in collaboration with the University of Cambridge and the University of Southampton, has found it is possible to change the electronic properties of amorphous chalcogenides, a glass material integral to data technologies such as CDs and DVDs. By using a technique called ion doping, the team of researchers have discovered a material that could use light to bring together different computing functions into one component, leading to all-optical systems. 3)Computers currently use electrons to transfer information and process applications. On the other hand, data sources such as the internet rely on optical systems; the transfer of information using light. Optical fibres are used to send information around the world at the speed of light, but these signals then have to be converted to electrical signalsonce they reach a computer, causing a significant slowdown in processing. 4)"The challenge is to find a single material that can effectively use and control light to carry information around a computer. Much like how the web uses light to deliver information, we want to use light to both deliver and process computer data," said project leader, Dr Richard Curry of the University of Surrey. 5)"This has eluded researchers for decades, but now we have now shown how a widely used glass can be manipulated to conduct negative electrons, as well as positive charges, creating what are known as ’pn-junction’ devices. This should enable the material to act as a light source, a light guide and a light detector - something that can carry and interpret optical information. In doing so, this could transform the computers of tomorrow, allowing them to effectively process information at much faster speeds." 6)The researchers expect that the results of this research will be integrated into computers within ten years. In the short term, the glass is already being developed and used in next-generation computer memory technology known as CRAM, which may ultimately be integrated with the advances reported.

Glass is used in the research to carry and process （　）.

A:optical information B:processing speeds C:electrons D:positive charges E:data technologies F:all-optical systems

Solar Power without Solar Cells 　　A dramatic and surprising magneticeffect of light discovered by University of Michigan1researcherscould lead to solar power without traditional semiconductor-based solar cells. 　　The researchers found a way to make an“optical 　51　,” said Stephen Rand, a professor in thedepartments of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, Physics and AppliedPhysics. 　　Light has electric and magnetic 　52　.Until now, scientists thought the effect of the magnetic field were so weakthat they could be 　 53　. What Rand and his colleagues found isthat at the right intensity, when light is traveling through a material thatdoes not 　 54　electricity, the light field cangenerate magnetic effects that are 100 million times stronger than previouslyexpected. Under these circumstances, the magnetic effects develop strength 　55　toa strong electric effect. 　　“This could lead to a new kind of solarcell without semiconductors and without absorption to produce charge separation,” Rand said. “In solar cells, the 　 56　goesinto a material, gets absorbed and creates heat. Here, we expect to have a verylow heat load2. Instead of the light being absorbed, energy is stored in themagnetic moment3. Intense magnetization can be induced by intense light andthen it is ultimately capable of providing a capacitive power 　 57　Whatmakes this possible is a previously undetected brand of “opticalrectification,” says William Fisher, a doctoral student in applied physics. Intraditional optical rectification, light’s electric field causes a chargeseparation, or a pulling 　58　 of the positive and negative charges ina material. This sets up a voltage, similar to 　59　 in a battery. 　　Rand and Fisher found that under the rightcircumstances and in right types of materials, the light’s magnetic field canalso create optical rectification. The light must be shone through　 a 　 60　thatdoes not conduct electricity, such as glass. And it must be focused to anintensity of 10 million watts per square centimeter8. Sunlight isn’t this 　61　onits own, but new materials are being sought that would work at lowerintensities, Fisher said. 　　“In our most recent paper, we show thatincoherent light9 like sunlight is theoretically almost 　62　 effectivein producing charge separation as laser light is,” Fisher said. 　　This new 　63　couldmake solar power cheaper, the researchers say. They predict that with improvedmaterials they could achieve 10 percent efficiency in converting solar power touseable energy. That’s equivalent to today’s commercial-grade solar cells. 　　“To manufacture modem solar cells, youhave to do 　64　semiconductor processing,” Fisher said.“All we would need are lenses to focus the light and a fiber to guide it. Glassworks for 　65　.It’s already made in bulk, and itdoesn’t require as much processing. Transparent ceramics might be even better.”

A:disc B:fiber C:instrument D:battery

(74) isn't a type of transmission medium used for LANs.

A:Twisted pair B:Coaxial cable C:Satellite D:Optical fiber

以下关于10 Gbit/s Optical Ethernet技术优势的描述中，错误的是______。

A:组建同样规模的宽带城域网，Optical Etheinel的造价是SONET的1/5，是ATM的1/10 B:IEEE已经对速率从10 Mbit/s、100Mbit/s、1 Gbit/s到10 Gbit/s，以及100 Gbit/s的Ethernet技术标准化了 C:Ethernet技术能够覆盖从宽带城域网的核心层、汇聚层到接入层的各种需求 D:如果一个宽带城域网的各个层次能够使用同一种技术，那么这种网络在设计、组建、运行、管理和人员培训都很方便、有效