Ford Abandons Electric Vehicles         

       The Ford motor company’s¹ abandonment of electric cars effectively signals the end of the road for the technology，analysts say．
　　General Motors² and Honda³ ceased production of battery-powered cars in 1 999, to focus on fuel cell⁴ and hybrid electric gasoline engines⁵, which are more attractive to the consumer．Ford has now announced it will do the same．

　　Three years ago．the company introduced the Think City two—seater car and a golf cart called the THINK, or Think Neighbor⁶．It hoped to sell 5，000 cars each year and 10，000 carts．But a lack of demand means only about l，000 of the cars have been produced，and less than 1，700 carts have been sold so far in 2002．
　　“The bottom line is⁷ we don’t believe that this is the future of environment transport for the mass market．”Tim Holmes of Ford Europe said on Friday．“We feel we have given electric our best shot⁸”
　　The Think City has a range of only about 53 miles and up to a six-hour battery recharge time．General Motors’EVI electric vehicle also had a limited range，of about 100 miles．
　　The very expensive batteries also mean electric cars cost much more than petrol-powered alternatives．An electric Toyot⁹ RAV4 EV vehicle costs over$42，000 in the US, compared with just $17，000 for the petrol version．Toyota and Nissan¹⁰ are now the only major auto manufacturers to produce electric vehicles．
　　“There is a feeling that battery electric has been given its chance．Ford now has to move on with its hybrid program¹¹，and that is what we will be judging them on，”Roger Higman，a senior transport campaigner at UK Friends of the Earth，told the Environment News Service．

　　Hybrid cars introduced by Toyota and Honda in the past few years have sold well．Hybrid engines Offer Greater mileage than petrol—only engines , and the batteries recharge themselves. Ford says it thinks such vehicles will help it meet planned new guidelines ¹² on vehicle emissions¹³ in theU.S.

　　However, it is not yet clear exactly what those guidelines will permit．In June，General Motors and Daimler Chrysler¹⁴ won a court injunction，delaying by two years Californian legislation requiring car—makers to offer 100，000 zero-emission and other low—emission vehicles in the state by 2003．Car manufacturers hope the legislation will be rewritten to allow for more low--emission，rather than zero—emission，vehicles．

词汇：

hybrid / "haɪbrɪd / n.杂种，混合物；adj. 杂种   

Mileage/ ˈmaɪlɪdʒ/n.英里数，英里里程的；混合的

Injunction / ɪnˈdʒʌŋkʃən/ n命令；指令

注释:  

1. The Ford motor company:福特汽车公司。Henry Ford (1863--1947)美国汽车制造商，他改进了以汽油为燃料的汽车，成立了福特汽车公司(1903年)，并大量生产最早的大众负担得起且广泛使用的T型车。

2. General Motors:美国通用汽车公司

3. Honda:日本本田汽车公司

4. fuel cell:燃料电池，一种化学电池。 

5. hybrid electric gasoline engines:电池和内燃机混杂使用的发动机，使用这种发动机的汽车被称为: Hybrid electric vehicles，或HEVs。 

6. … the company introduced the Think City two-seater car and a golf cart called the THINK, or Think Neighbor:福特汽车公司计划在公司内开发一种全新的品牌，建立了Think Group.该研究机构分为两部分: Think Mobility和Think Technologies。Think Mobility开发the Think City (一种电动汽车)，Think Neighbor (一种高尔夫车)，以及Think Bike (一种电动自行车)。Think Technologies开发燃料电池技术。 

7. The bottom line is:在此的意思是“the main or essential point”，即“关键之处是，实质问题是”。

8. shot: an attempt, a try (尝试)。

9. Toyota:日本丰田汽车公司

10. Nissan:日本日产汽车公司 

11. hybrid program:指上文提到的电池和内燃机混杂使用的新型汽车开发项目。

12. guideline:指导方针，规定

13. vehicle emissions:车辆排放物 

14. Daintier Chrysler:戴姆勒克莱斯勒汽车公司。德国戴姆勒·奔驰公司集团与克莱斯勒汽车公司合并。

What have the Ford motor company．General Motor’s and Honda done concerning electric cars?

A:They have started to produce electric cars． B:They have done extensive research on electric Cars C:They have given up producing electric cars． D:They have produced thousands of electric Cars

Ford Abandons Electric Vehicles         

       The Ford motor company’s¹ abandonment of electric cars effectively signals the end of the road for the technology，analysts say．
　　General Motors² and Honda³ ceased production of battery-powered cars in 1 999, to focus on fuel cell⁴ and hybrid electric gasoline engines⁵, which are more attractive to the consumer．Ford has now announced it will do the same．

　　Three years ago．the company introduced the Think City two—seater car and a golf cart called the THINK, or Think Neighbor⁶．It hoped to sell 5，000 cars each year and 10，000 carts．But a lack of demand means only about l，000 of the cars have been produced，and less than 1，700 carts have been sold so far in 2002．
　　“The bottom line is⁷ we don’t believe that this is the future of environment transport for the mass market．”Tim Holmes of Ford Europe said on Friday．“We feel we have given electric our best shot⁸”
　　The Think City has a range of only about 53 miles and up to a six-hour battery recharge time．General Motors’EVI electric vehicle also had a limited range，of about 100 miles．
　　The very expensive batteries also mean electric cars cost much more than petrol-powered alternatives．An electric Toyot⁹ RAV4 EV vehicle costs over$42，000 in the US, compared with just $17，000 for the petrol version．Toyota and Nissan¹⁰ are now the only major auto manufacturers to produce electric vehicles．
　　“There is a feeling that battery electric has been given its chance．Ford now has to move on with its hybrid program¹¹，and that is what we will be judging them on，”Roger Higman，a senior transport campaigner at UK Friends of the Earth，told the Environment News Service．

　　Hybrid cars introduced by Toyota and Honda in the past few years have sold well．Hybrid engines Offer Greater mileage than petrol—only engines , and the batteries recharge themselves. Ford says it thinks such vehicles will help it meet planned new guidelines ¹² on vehicle emissions¹³ in theU.S.

　　However, it is not yet clear exactly what those guidelines will permit．In June，General Motors and Daimler Chrysler¹⁴ won a court injunction，delaying by two years Californian legislation requiring car—makers to offer 100，000 zero-emission and other low—emission vehicles in the state by 2003．Car manufacturers hope the legislation will be rewritten to allow for more low--emission，rather than zero—emission，vehicles．

词汇：

hybrid / "haɪbrɪd / n.杂种，混合物；adj. 杂种   

Mileage/ ˈmaɪlɪdʒ/n.英里数，英里里程的；混合的

Injunction / ɪnˈdʒʌŋkʃən/ n命令；指令

注释:  

1. The Ford motor company:福特汽车公司。Henry Ford (1863--1947)美国汽车制造商，他改进了以汽油为燃料的汽车，成立了福特汽车公司(1903年)，并大量生产最早的大众负担得起且广泛使用的T型车。

2. General Motors:美国通用汽车公司

3. Honda:日本本田汽车公司

4. fuel cell:燃料电池，一种化学电池。 

5. hybrid electric gasoline engines:电池和内燃机混杂使用的发动机，使用这种发动机的汽车被称为: Hybrid electric vehicles，或HEVs。 

6. … the company introduced the Think City two-seater car and a golf cart called the THINK, or Think Neighbor:福特汽车公司计划在公司内开发一种全新的品牌，建立了Think Group.该研究机构分为两部分: Think Mobility和Think Technologies。Think Mobility开发the Think City (一种电动汽车)，Think Neighbor (一种高尔夫车)，以及Think Bike (一种电动自行车)。Think Technologies开发燃料电池技术。 

7. The bottom line is:在此的意思是“the main or essential point”，即“关键之处是，实质问题是”。

8. shot: an attempt, a try (尝试)。

9. Toyota:日本丰田汽车公司

10. Nissan:日本日产汽车公司 

11. hybrid program:指上文提到的电池和内燃机混杂使用的新型汽车开发项目。

12. guideline:指导方针，规定

13. vehicle emissions:车辆排放物 

14. Daintier Chrysler:戴姆勒克莱斯勒汽车公司。德国戴姆勒·奔驰公司集团与克莱斯勒汽车公司合并。

According to Tim Holmes of Ford Europe，battery-powered cars

A:will be the main transportation vehicles in the future. B:will not be the main transportation vehicles in the future． C:will be good to the environment in the future. D:will replace petrol—powered vehicles in the future．

Batteries Built by Viruses

    What do chicken pox，the common cold, the flu，and AIDS have in common? They’re all disease caused by viruses，tiny microorganisms that can pass from person to person．It"s no wonder¹ that when most people think about viruses, finding ways t0 steer clear of² viruses is what"s on people"s minds．

    Not everyone runs from the tiny disease carders, though³．In Cambridge, Massachusetts⁴, scientists have discovered that some viruses can be helpful in an unusual way．They are putting viruses to work, teaching them to build some of the world"s smallest rechargeable batteries．

    Viruses and batteries may seem like an unusual pair，but they"re not so strange for engineer Angela Belcher，who first came up with⁵ the idea．At the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) in Cambridge, she and her collaborators bring together different areas of science in new ways．In the case of the virus-built batteries, the scientists combine what they know about biology, technology and production techniques．

    Belcher"s team includes Paula Hammond，who helps put together the tiny batteries, and Yet-Ming Chiang， an expert on how to store energy in the form of a battery．“We’re working on things we traditionally don’t associate with nature．” says Hammond．

    Many batteries are already pretty small．You can hold A．C and D batteries⁶ in your hand．The coin—like batteries that power watches are often smaller than a penny．However。every year，new electronic devices like personal music players or cell phones get smaller than the year before．As these devices shrink, ordinary batteries won"t be small enough to fit inside．

    The ideal battery will store a lot of energy in a small package．Right now，Belcher"s model battery，a metallic disk completely built by viruses，looks like a regular watch battery．But inside，its components are very small—so tiny you can only see them with a powerful microscope．

How small are these battery parts? To get some idea of the size，pluck one hair from your head．Place your hair on a piece of white paper and try to see how wide your hair is—pretty thin，right? Although the width of each person"s hair is a bit different，you could probably fit about l o of these virus—built battery parts，side to side，across one hair．These microbatteries may change the way we look at viruses⁷．

词汇：

chicken pox水痘

microorganism n．微生物

metallic adj．金属的

collaborator n．合作者，协作者

pluck v．拔，摘，采

注释：

1．no wonder：不足为奇的，难怪

2．steer clear of：避开，绕开

3．though：意思为“然而，可是”。在句中使用时通常放在句末。

4．Cambridge，Massachusetts：马萨诸塞州的剑桥市。本文第三段提到的the Massachusetts

Institute of Technology (MIT) in Cambridge即指坐落于剑桥市的麻省理工学院。麻省理工学院于1861年由著名自然科学家威廉·巴罗吉杰斯创立。这是美国的一所私立研究型大学，培养高级科技人才和管理人才，是以理工科为主的、世界一流的综合性大学。

5．came up with：提出

6．A，C and D batteries：A、C、D均为电池型号。

7．These microbatteries may change the way we look at viruses：这些微型电池可能会改变我们看待病毒的方式。作者想表达的意思是：人们一直认为病毒有害无益，现在病毒可用来制作电池，人们对病毒的看法可能会因此而发生变化。

According to the first paragraph，people try to

A:kill microorganisms related to chicken pox，the flu，etc． B:keep themselves away from viruses because they are invisible． C:stay away from viruses because they are causes of various diseases． D:cure themselves of virus—related diseases by taking medicines．

Batteries Built by Viruses

    What do chicken pox，the common cold, the flu，and AIDS have in common? They’re all disease caused by viruses，tiny microorganisms that can pass from person to person．It"s no wonder¹ that when most people think about viruses, finding ways t0 steer clear of² viruses is what"s on people"s minds．

    Not everyone runs from the tiny disease carders, though³．In Cambridge, Massachusetts⁴, scientists have discovered that some viruses can be helpful in an unusual way．They are putting viruses to work, teaching them to build some of the world"s smallest rechargeable batteries．

    Viruses and batteries may seem like an unusual pair，but they"re not so strange for engineer Angela Belcher，who first came up with⁵ the idea．At the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) in Cambridge, she and her collaborators bring together different areas of science in new ways．In the case of the virus-built batteries, the scientists combine what they know about biology, technology and production techniques．

    Belcher"s team includes Paula Hammond，who helps put together the tiny batteries, and Yet-Ming Chiang， an expert on how to store energy in the form of a battery．“We’re working on things we traditionally don’t associate with nature．” says Hammond．

    Many batteries are already pretty small．You can hold A．C and D batteries⁶ in your hand．The coin—like batteries that power watches are often smaller than a penny．However。every year，new electronic devices like personal music players or cell phones get smaller than the year before．As these devices shrink, ordinary batteries won"t be small enough to fit inside．

    The ideal battery will store a lot of energy in a small package．Right now，Belcher"s model battery，a metallic disk completely built by viruses，looks like a regular watch battery．But inside，its components are very small—so tiny you can only see them with a powerful microscope．

How small are these battery parts? To get some idea of the size，pluck one hair from your head．Place your hair on a piece of white paper and try to see how wide your hair is—pretty thin，right? Although the width of each person"s hair is a bit different，you could probably fit about l o of these virus—built battery parts，side to side，across one hair．These microbatteries may change the way we look at viruses⁷．

词汇：

chicken pox水痘

microorganism n．微生物

metallic adj．金属的

collaborator n．合作者，协作者

pluck v．拔，摘，采

注释：

1．no wonder：不足为奇的，难怪

2．steer clear of：避开，绕开

3．though：意思为“然而，可是”。在句中使用时通常放在句末。

4．Cambridge，Massachusetts：马萨诸塞州的剑桥市。本文第三段提到的the Massachusetts

Institute of Technology (MIT) in Cambridge即指坐落于剑桥市的麻省理工学院。麻省理工学院于1861年由著名自然科学家威廉·巴罗吉杰斯创立。这是美国的一所私立研究型大学，培养高级科技人才和管理人才，是以理工科为主的、世界一流的综合性大学。

5．came up with：提出

6．A，C and D batteries：A、C、D均为电池型号。

7．These microbatteries may change the way we look at viruses：这些微型电池可能会改变我们看待病毒的方式。作者想表达的意思是：人们一直认为病毒有害无益，现在病毒可用来制作电池，人们对病毒的看法可能会因此而发生变化。

Which of the following is true of Belcher"s battery mentioned in paragraph 6？

A:It is made of metal． B:It is a kind of watch battery． C:It can only be seen with a microscope． D:It is a metallic disk with viruses inside it．

Ford Abandons Electric Vehicles         

       The Ford motor company’s¹ abandonment of electric cars effectively signals the end of the road for the technology，analysts say．
　　General Motors² and Honda³ ceased production of battery-powered cars in 1 999, to focus on fuel cell⁴ and hybrid electric gasoline engines⁵, which are more attractive to the consumer．Ford has now announced it will do the same．

　　Three years ago．the company introduced the Think City two—seater car and a golf cart called the THINK, or Think Neighbor⁶．It hoped to sell 5，000 cars each year and 10，000 carts．But a lack of demand means only about l，000 of the cars have been produced，and less than 1，700 carts have been sold so far in 2002．
　　“The bottom line is⁷ we don’t believe that this is the future of environment transport for the mass market．”Tim Holmes of Ford Europe said on Friday．“We feel we have given electric our best shot⁸”
　　The Think City has a range of only about 53 miles and up to a six-hour battery recharge time．General Motors’EVI electric vehicle also had a limited range，of about 100 miles．
　　The very expensive batteries also mean electric cars cost much more than petrol-powered alternatives．An electric Toyot⁹ RAV4 EV vehicle costs over$42，000 in the US, compared with just $17，000 for the petrol version．Toyota and Nissan¹⁰ are now the only major auto manufacturers to produce electric vehicles．
　　“There is a feeling that battery electric has been given its chance．Ford now has to move on with its hybrid program¹¹，and that is what we will be judging them on，”Roger Higman，a senior transport campaigner at UK Friends of the Earth，told the Environment News Service．

　　Hybrid cars introduced by Toyota and Honda in the past few years have sold well．Hybrid engines Offer Greater mileage than petrol—only engines , and the batteries recharge themselves. Ford says it thinks such vehicles will help it meet planned new guidelines ¹² on vehicle emissions¹³ in theU.S.

　　However, it is not yet clear exactly what those guidelines will permit．In June，General Motors and Daimler Chrysler¹⁴ won a court injunction，delaying by two years Californian legislation requiring car—makers to offer 100，000 zero-emission and other low—emission vehicles in the state by 2003．Car manufacturers hope the legislation will be rewritten to allow for more low--emission，rather than zero—emission，vehicles．

词汇：

hybrid / "haɪbrɪd / n.杂种，混合物；adj. 杂种   

Mileage/ ˈmaɪlɪdʒ/n.英里数，英里里程的；混合的

Injunction / ɪnˈdʒʌŋkʃən/ n命令；指令

注释:  

1. The Ford motor company:福特汽车公司。Henry Ford (1863--1947)美国汽车制造商，他改进了以汽油为燃料的汽车，成立了福特汽车公司(1903年)，并大量生产最早的大众负担得起且广泛使用的T型车。

2. General Motors:美国通用汽车公司

3. Honda:日本本田汽车公司

4. fuel cell:燃料电池，一种化学电池。 

5. hybrid electric gasoline engines:电池和内燃机混杂使用的发动机，使用这种发动机的汽车被称为: Hybrid electric vehicles，或HEVs。 

6. … the company introduced the Think City two-seater car and a golf cart called the THINK, or Think Neighbor:福特汽车公司计划在公司内开发一种全新的品牌，建立了Think Group.该研究机构分为两部分: Think Mobility和Think Technologies。Think Mobility开发the Think City (一种电动汽车)，Think Neighbor (一种高尔夫车)，以及Think Bike (一种电动自行车)。Think Technologies开发燃料电池技术。 

7. The bottom line is:在此的意思是“the main or essential point”，即“关键之处是，实质问题是”。

8. shot: an attempt, a try (尝试)。

9. Toyota:日本丰田汽车公司

10. Nissan:日本日产汽车公司 

11. hybrid program:指上文提到的电池和内燃机混杂使用的新型汽车开发项目。

12. guideline:指导方针，规定

13. vehicle emissions:车辆排放物 

14. Daintier Chrysler:戴姆勒克莱斯勒汽车公司。德国戴姆勒·奔驰公司集团与克莱斯勒汽车公司合并。

What have the Ford motor company．General Motor’s and Honda done concerning electric cars?

A:They have started to produce electric cars． B:They have done extensive research on electric Cars C:They have given up producing electric cars． D:They have produced thousands of electric Cars

Ford Abandons Electric Vehicles         

       The Ford motor company’s¹ abandonment of electric cars effectively signals the end of the road for the technology，analysts say．
　　General Motors² and Honda³ ceased production of battery-powered cars in 1 999, to focus on fuel cell⁴ and hybrid electric gasoline engines⁵, which are more attractive to the consumer．Ford has now announced it will do the same．

　　Three years ago．the company introduced the Think City two—seater car and a golf cart called the THINK, or Think Neighbor⁶．It hoped to sell 5，000 cars each year and 10，000 carts．But a lack of demand means only about l，000 of the cars have been produced，and less than 1，700 carts have been sold so far in 2002．
　　“The bottom line is⁷ we don’t believe that this is the future of environment transport for the mass market．”Tim Holmes of Ford Europe said on Friday．“We feel we have given electric our best shot⁸”
　　The Think City has a range of only about 53 miles and up to a six-hour battery recharge time．General Motors’EVI electric vehicle also had a limited range，of about 100 miles．
　　The very expensive batteries also mean electric cars cost much more than petrol-powered alternatives．An electric Toyot⁹ RAV4 EV vehicle costs over$42，000 in the US, compared with just $17，000 for the petrol version．Toyota and Nissan¹⁰ are now the only major auto manufacturers to produce electric vehicles．
　　“There is a feeling that battery electric has been given its chance．Ford now has to move on with its hybrid program¹¹，and that is what we will be judging them on，”Roger Higman，a senior transport campaigner at UK Friends of the Earth，told the Environment News Service．

　　Hybrid cars introduced by Toyota and Honda in the past few years have sold well．Hybrid engines Offer Greater mileage than petrol—only engines , and the batteries recharge themselves. Ford says it thinks such vehicles will help it meet planned new guidelines ¹² on vehicle emissions¹³ in theU.S.

　　However, it is not yet clear exactly what those guidelines will permit．In June，General Motors and Daimler Chrysler¹⁴ won a court injunction，delaying by two years Californian legislation requiring car—makers to offer 100，000 zero-emission and other low—emission vehicles in the state by 2003．Car manufacturers hope the legislation will be rewritten to allow for more low--emission，rather than zero—emission，vehicles．

词汇：

hybrid / "haɪbrɪd / n.杂种，混合物；adj. 杂种   

Mileage/ ˈmaɪlɪdʒ/n.英里数，英里里程的；混合的

Injunction / ɪnˈdʒʌŋkʃən/ n命令；指令

注释:  

1. The Ford motor company:福特汽车公司。Henry Ford (1863--1947)美国汽车制造商，他改进了以汽油为燃料的汽车，成立了福特汽车公司(1903年)，并大量生产最早的大众负担得起且广泛使用的T型车。

2. General Motors:美国通用汽车公司

3. Honda:日本本田汽车公司

4. fuel cell:燃料电池，一种化学电池。 

5. hybrid electric gasoline engines:电池和内燃机混杂使用的发动机，使用这种发动机的汽车被称为: Hybrid electric vehicles，或HEVs。 

6. … the company introduced the Think City two-seater car and a golf cart called the THINK, or Think Neighbor:福特汽车公司计划在公司内开发一种全新的品牌，建立了Think Group.该研究机构分为两部分: Think Mobility和Think Technologies。Think Mobility开发the Think City (一种电动汽车)，Think Neighbor (一种高尔夫车)，以及Think Bike (一种电动自行车)。Think Technologies开发燃料电池技术。 

7. The bottom line is:在此的意思是“the main or essential point”，即“关键之处是，实质问题是”。

8. shot: an attempt, a try (尝试)。

9. Toyota:日本丰田汽车公司

10. Nissan:日本日产汽车公司 

11. hybrid program:指上文提到的电池和内燃机混杂使用的新型汽车开发项目。

12. guideline:指导方针，规定

13. vehicle emissions:车辆排放物 

14. Daintier Chrysler:戴姆勒克莱斯勒汽车公司。德国戴姆勒·奔驰公司集团与克莱斯勒汽车公司合并。

According to Tim Holmes of Ford Europe，battery-powered cars

A:will be the main transportation vehicles in the future. B:will not be the main transportation vehicles in the future． C:will be good to the environment in the future. D:will replace petrol—powered vehicles in the future．

长仿宋体是（）的变形字体。

A:宋体 B:仿宋体 C:书宋体 D:报宋体