Bill Gates: Unleashing Your Creativity

　　I’ve always been an optimist and I suppose it is rooted in¹ my belief that the power of creativity and intelligence can make the world a better place.

　　For as long as I can remember, I’ve loved learning new things and solving problems. So when I sat down at a computer for the first time in seventh grade, I was hooked. It was a clunky old teletype machine and it could barely do anything compared to the computers we have today.²But it changed my life.

　　When my friend Paul Allen and I started Microsoft30 years ago，we had a vision of “a computer on every desk and in every home”, which probably sounded a little too optimistic at a time when most computers were the size of refrigerators. But we believed that personal computers would change the world .And they have.

　　And after 30 years, I’m still as inspired by computers as I was back in seventh grade.

　　I believe that computers are the most incredible tool we can use to feed our curiosity and inventiveness — to help us solve problems that even the smartest people couldn’t solve on their own.

　　Computers have transformed how we learn，giving kids everywhere a window into all of the world’s knowledge. They’re helping us build communities around the things we care about and to stay close to the people who are important to us, no matter where they are.³

　　Like my friend Warren Buffett, I feel particularly lucky to do something every day that I love to do. He calls it “tap-dancing towork”⁴. My job at Microsoft is as challenging as ever, but what makes me “tap-dancing to work” is when we show people something new, like a computer that can recognize your handwriting or your speech, or one that can store a lifetime’s worth of photos, and they say, “I didn’t know you could do that with a PC⁵! ”

　　But for all the cool things that a person can do with a PC，there are lots of other ways we can put our creativity and intelligence to work to improve our world⁶. There are still far too many people in the world whose most basic needs go unmet⁷. Every year, for example, millions of people die from diseases that are easy to prevent or treat in the developed world.

　　I believe that my own good fortune brings with it a responsibility to give back to the world. My wife, Melinda, and I have committed to⁸ improving health and education in a way that can help as many people as possible.

　　As a father, I believe that the death of a child in Africa is no less poignant or tragic than⁹ the death of a child anywhere else, and that it doesn’t take much to make an immense difference in these children’s lives¹⁰.

　　I’m still very much an optimist, and I believe that progress on even the world’s toughest problems is possible — and it’s happening every day. We’re seeing new drugs for deadly diseases, new diagnostic tools，and new attention paid to the health problems in the developing world.

　　I’m excited by the possibilities I see for medicine, for education and, of course, for technology. And I believe that through our natural inventiveness, creativity and willingness to solve tough problems, we"re going to make some amazing achievements in all these areas in my lifetime.

词汇：

unleash/ ʌnˈli:ʃ / vt.解开;放纵;使自由

inspire/ ɪnˈspaɪə(r) / vt.鼓舞

optimist/"Dptɪmɪst/ n.乐观主义者

incredible/ ɪn"kredəbl/ adj.难以置信的

clunky(clonky) /"klʌnkɪ/ adj.发出沉闷金属声的

curiosity/ˌkjuərɪ"Dsɪtɪ/ n.好奇心

inventivenessn.发明创造的能力

teletype/"telɪtaɪp/ (teletype-writer) n.电传打字机

poignant/ ˈpɔɪnjənt / adj.令人悲痛的，可怜的

tragic/"trædʒɪk/ adj.悲剧的，悲惨的

vision/"vɪʒn/ n.想象;幻想;美景

immense/I"mens/ adj.巨大的

注释：

1.be rooted in：扎根于;深深地存在于

2.It was a clunky old teletype machine and it could barely do anything compared to the computers we have today.那是一台笨重的旧式电传打字机，跟我们今天的电脑相比几乎干不了什么事。本句中，barely意为almost not; compare to在美国英语中也可以等同于compare with(与……相比)。

3.They’re helping us build communities around the things we care about and to stay close to the people who are important to us, no matter where they are.电脑帮助我们就我们所关心的事情建立一个交流的场所，并且与那些我们认为对我们有重要意义的人密切相处，不管他们身在何处。care about指不管喜欢或不喜欢的事情都很关心、介意、在乎、计较。

4.“tap-dancing to work”：“跳着踢踏舞工作”。tap原意是“叩击、轻敲”;tap dance是“踢踏舞”。这里实际意思是“(手指)轻轻敲击键盘的工作”。

5.PC (personal computer)：个人计算机

6.But for all the cool things that a person can do with a PC, there are lots of other ways we can put our creativity and intelligence to work to improve our world.除了我们能用计算机做的所有神奇的事情，还有很多其他方式发挥我们的创造力和智慧，从而使世界更加美好。

7.go unmet：得不到满足。在这里go是系动词，unmet是过去分词作表语。

8.commit to此处意为承诺，保证做某事。

9.no less... than：和 一样，不亚于…

10. and that it doesn’t take much to make an immense difference in these children’s lives.而且要改善这些孩子们的命运，其实不难。此处it是形式主语，真正的主语是不定式短语to make an immense difference in these children’s lives。

Bill Gates will leave only a small portion of his wealth for his children.

A:Right B:Wrong C:Not mentioned

Experts Call for Local and Regional Control of Sites for Radioactive Waste

The withdrawal of Nevada’s Yucca Mountain as a potential nuclear waste repository¹ has reopened the debate over how and where to dispose of spent nuclear fuel and high-level nuclear waste. In an article in the July 10 issue of Science, University of Michigan² geologist Rodney Ewing and Princeton University³ nuclear physicist Frank von Hippel argue that, although federal agencies should set standards and issue licenses for the approval of nuclear facilities, local communities and states should have the final approval on the siting of these facilities. The authors propose the development of multiple sites that would service the regions where nuclear reactors are located.

“The main goal…, should be to provide the United States with multiple alternatives and substantial public involvement in an open siting and design process that requires acceptance by host communities and states,”the authors write.

Ewing and von Hippel also analyze the reasons why Yucca Mountain, selected by Congress⁴ in 1987 as the only site to be investigated for long-term nuclear waste disposal, finally was shelved⁵ after more than three decades of often controversial debate. The reasons include the site’s geological problems, management problems, important changes in the Environmental Protection Agency’s standard, unreliable funding and the failure to involve local communities in the decision-making process.

Going forward, efforts should be directed at locating storage facilities in the nation’s northeastern, southeastern, midwestern and western regions, and states within a given region should be responsible for developing solutions that suit their particular circumstances. Transportation of nuclear waste over long distances, which was a concern with the Yucca Mountain site, would be less of a problem because temporary storage or geological disposal sites could be located closer to reactors.

“This regional approach would be similar to the current approach in Europe, where spent nuclear fuel⁶ and high-level nuclear waste⁷ from about 150 reactors and reprocessing plants is to be moved to a number of geological repositories in a variety of rock types⁸,”said Rodney Ewing, who has written extensively about the impact of nuclear waste management on the environment and who has analyzed safety assessment criteria for the controversial Yucca Mountain nuclear waste repository.

词汇:

radioactive adj.放射性的   

geologist n.地质学家

shelve v.搁置      

reactor n.反应堆，反应器

repository n.储藏地，储藏室   

geological adj. 地质的

controversial adj. 有争议的     

注释:    

1. The withdrawal of Nevada’s Yucca Mountain as a potential nuclear waste repository: Nevada’s Yucca Mountain:美国境内的内华达州尤卡山。 nuclear waste repository:核废物处理库。美国能源部部长朱棣文 2009年 3月 5日表示，拟在内华达州尤卡山建设的核废物昀终处理库将不再是美国储存高放废物的一个选项。

2. University of Michigan:美国密歇根大学，建于 1817年。

3. Princeton University:美国普林斯顿大学，建于 1746年。

4. Congress:美国国会，美国昀高立法机关，由参议院 (Senate)和众议院(House of Representatives)组成。

5.…was shelved: ……被束之高阁。 6. spent nuclear fuel:也叫做 used nuclear fuel，一般译为“乏核燃料”。

7. high-level nuclear waste:高（强度）放（射性）核废物。

8. geological repositories in a variety of rock types:各种不同岩层中的地质处置库。 geological repositories指的是地表以下 300~1500米的稳定的地质体中建造的用于昀终处置高放废物和乏核燃料的工程设施。处置库是一个多重屏障系统，工程屏障由废物体、废物罐、外包装和缓冲回填材料组成，而天然屏障则是能有效阻滞放射性核素迁移的地质体，包括花岗岩、粘土岩、凝灰岩和岩盐等。许多专家认为地质处置是安全的，技术上是可行的，对环境是无害的。

Which of the following words can best substitute the word “withdrawal” in the first paragraph?

A:Retirement. B:Disposal. C:Replaced D:Disposal.

Experts Call for Local and Regional Control of Sites for Radioactive Waste

The withdrawal of Nevada’s Yucca Mountain as a potential nuclear waste repository¹ has reopened the debate over how and where to dispose of spent nuclear fuel and high-level nuclear waste. In an article in the July 10 issue of Science, University of Michigan² geologist Rodney Ewing and Princeton University³ nuclear physicist Frank von Hippel argue that, although federal agencies should set standards and issue licenses for the approval of nuclear facilities, local communities and states should have the final approval on the siting of these facilities. The authors propose the development of multiple sites that would service the regions where nuclear reactors are located.

“The main goal…, should be to provide the United States with multiple alternatives and substantial public involvement in an open siting and design process that requires acceptance by host communities and states,”the authors write.

Ewing and von Hippel also analyze the reasons why Yucca Mountain, selected by Congress⁴ in 1987 as the only site to be investigated for long-term nuclear waste disposal, finally was shelved⁵ after more than three decades of often controversial debate. The reasons include the site’s geological problems, management problems, important changes in the Environmental Protection Agency’s standard, unreliable funding and the failure to involve local communities in the decision-making process.

Going forward, efforts should be directed at locating storage facilities in the nation’s northeastern, southeastern, midwestern and western regions, and states within a given region should be responsible for developing solutions that suit their particular circumstances. Transportation of nuclear waste over long distances, which was a concern with the Yucca Mountain site, would be less of a problem because temporary storage or geological disposal sites could be located closer to reactors.

“This regional approach would be similar to the current approach in Europe, where spent nuclear fuel⁶ and high-level nuclear waste⁷ from about 150 reactors and reprocessing plants is to be moved to a number of geological repositories in a variety of rock types⁸,”said Rodney Ewing, who has written extensively about the impact of nuclear waste management on the environment and who has analyzed safety assessment criteria for the controversial Yucca Mountain nuclear waste repository.

词汇:

radioactive adj.放射性的   

geologist n.地质学家

shelve v.搁置      

reactor n.反应堆，反应器

repository n.储藏地，储藏室   

geological adj. 地质的

controversial adj. 有争议的     

注释:    

1. The withdrawal of Nevada’s Yucca Mountain as a potential nuclear waste repository: Nevada’s Yucca Mountain:美国境内的内华达州尤卡山。 nuclear waste repository:核废物处理库。美国能源部部长朱棣文 2009年 3月 5日表示，拟在内华达州尤卡山建设的核废物昀终处理库将不再是美国储存高放废物的一个选项。

2. University of Michigan:美国密歇根大学，建于 1817年。

3. Princeton University:美国普林斯顿大学，建于 1746年。

4. Congress:美国国会，美国昀高立法机关，由参议院 (Senate)和众议院(House of Representatives)组成。

5.…was shelved: ……被束之高阁。 6. spent nuclear fuel:也叫做 used nuclear fuel，一般译为“乏核燃料”。

7. high-level nuclear waste:高（强度）放（射性）核废物。

8. geological repositories in a variety of rock types:各种不同岩层中的地质处置库。 geological repositories指的是地表以下 300~1500米的稳定的地质体中建造的用于昀终处置高放废物和乏核燃料的工程设施。处置库是一个多重屏障系统，工程屏障由废物体、废物罐、外包装和缓冲回填材料组成，而天然屏障则是能有效阻滞放射性核素迁移的地质体，包括花岗岩、粘土岩、凝灰岩和岩盐等。许多专家认为地质处置是安全的，技术上是可行的，对环境是无害的。

According to Rodney Ewing and Frand von Hippel, where to locate nuclear facilities

A:should be approved by the federal government. B: should be approved by local people and states. C: should be approved by Congress. D:is not an important issue.

Experts Call for Local and Regional Control of Sites for Radioactive Waste

The withdrawal of Nevada’s Yucca Mountain as a potential nuclear waste repository¹ has reopened the debate over how and where to dispose of spent nuclear fuel and high-level nuclear waste. In an article in the July 10 issue of Science, University of Michigan² geologist Rodney Ewing and Princeton University³ nuclear physicist Frank von Hippel argue that, although federal agencies should set standards and issue licenses for the approval of nuclear facilities, local communities and states should have the final approval on the siting of these facilities. The authors propose the development of multiple sites that would service the regions where nuclear reactors are located.

“The main goal…, should be to provide the United States with multiple alternatives and substantial public involvement in an open siting and design process that requires acceptance by host communities and states,”the authors write.

Ewing and von Hippel also analyze the reasons why Yucca Mountain, selected by Congress⁴ in 1987 as the only site to be investigated for long-term nuclear waste disposal, finally was shelved⁵ after more than three decades of often controversial debate. The reasons include the site’s geological problems, management problems, important changes in the Environmental Protection Agency’s standard, unreliable funding and the failure to involve local communities in the decision-making process.

Going forward, efforts should be directed at locating storage facilities in the nation’s northeastern, southeastern, midwestern and western regions, and states within a given region should be responsible for developing solutions that suit their particular circumstances. Transportation of nuclear waste over long distances, which was a concern with the Yucca Mountain site, would be less of a problem because temporary storage or geological disposal sites could be located closer to reactors.

“This regional approach would be similar to the current approach in Europe, where spent nuclear fuel⁶ and high-level nuclear waste⁷ from about 150 reactors and reprocessing plants is to be moved to a number of geological repositories in a variety of rock types⁸,”said Rodney Ewing, who has written extensively about the impact of nuclear waste management on the environment and who has analyzed safety assessment criteria for the controversial Yucca Mountain nuclear waste repository.

词汇:

radioactive adj.放射性的   

geologist n.地质学家

shelve v.搁置      

reactor n.反应堆，反应器

repository n.储藏地，储藏室   

geological adj. 地质的

controversial adj. 有争议的     

注释:    

1. The withdrawal of Nevada’s Yucca Mountain as a potential nuclear waste repository: Nevada’s Yucca Mountain:美国境内的内华达州尤卡山。 nuclear waste repository:核废物处理库。美国能源部部长朱棣文 2009年 3月 5日表示，拟在内华达州尤卡山建设的核废物昀终处理库将不再是美国储存高放废物的一个选项。

2. University of Michigan:美国密歇根大学，建于 1817年。

3. Princeton University:美国普林斯顿大学，建于 1746年。

4. Congress:美国国会，美国昀高立法机关，由参议院 (Senate)和众议院(House of Representatives)组成。

5.…was shelved: ……被束之高阁。 6. spent nuclear fuel:也叫做 used nuclear fuel，一般译为“乏核燃料”。

7. high-level nuclear waste:高（强度）放（射性）核废物。

8. geological repositories in a variety of rock types:各种不同岩层中的地质处置库。 geological repositories指的是地表以下 300~1500米的稳定的地质体中建造的用于昀终处置高放废物和乏核燃料的工程设施。处置库是一个多重屏障系统，工程屏障由废物体、废物罐、外包装和缓冲回填材料组成，而天然屏障则是能有效阻滞放射性核素迁移的地质体，包括花岗岩、粘土岩、凝灰岩和岩盐等。许多专家认为地质处置是安全的，技术上是可行的，对环境是无害的。

What is meant by“regional approach”as mentioned in the last paragraph?

A:Waste disposal sites are located close to reactors and in places suitable for the regional circumstances. B:Geological repositories are located in a variety of rock types. C:Spent nuclear fuel and high -level nuclear waste is moved to developing countries. D:Waste disposal sites are located far away from reactors.

Experts Call for Local and Regional Control of Sites for Radioactive Waste

The withdrawal of Nevada’s Yucca Mountain as a potential nuclear waste repository¹ has reopened the debate over how and where to dispose of spent nuclear fuel and high-level nuclear waste. In an article in the July 10 issue of Science, University of Michigan² geologist Rodney Ewing and Princeton University³ nuclear physicist Frank von Hippel argue that, although federal agencies should set standards and issue licenses for the approval of nuclear facilities, local communities and states should have the final approval on the siting of these facilities. The authors propose the development of multiple sites that would service the regions where nuclear reactors are located.

“The main goal…, should be to provide the United States with multiple alternatives and substantial public involvement in an open siting and design process that requires acceptance by host communities and states,”the authors write.

Ewing and von Hippel also analyze the reasons why Yucca Mountain, selected by Congress⁴ in 1987 as the only site to be investigated for long-term nuclear waste disposal, finally was shelved⁵ after more than three decades of often controversial debate. The reasons include the site’s geological problems, management problems, important changes in the Environmental Protection Agency’s standard, unreliable funding and the failure to involve local communities in the decision-making process.

Going forward, efforts should be directed at locating storage facilities in the nation’s northeastern, southeastern, midwestern and western regions, and states within a given region should be responsible for developing solutions that suit their particular circumstances. Transportation of nuclear waste over long distances, which was a concern with the Yucca Mountain site, would be less of a problem because temporary storage or geological disposal sites could be located closer to reactors.

“This regional approach would be similar to the current approach in Europe, where spent nuclear fuel⁶ and high-level nuclear waste⁷ from about 150 reactors and reprocessing plants is to be moved to a number of geological repositories in a variety of rock types⁸,”said Rodney Ewing, who has written extensively about the impact of nuclear waste management on the environment and who has analyzed safety assessment criteria for the controversial Yucca Mountain nuclear waste repository.

词汇:

radioactive adj.放射性的   

geologist n.地质学家

shelve v.搁置      

reactor n.反应堆，反应器

repository n.储藏地，储藏室   

geological adj. 地质的

controversial adj. 有争议的     

注释:    

1. The withdrawal of Nevada’s Yucca Mountain as a potential nuclear waste repository: Nevada’s Yucca Mountain:美国境内的内华达州尤卡山。 nuclear waste repository:核废物处理库。美国能源部部长朱棣文 2009年 3月 5日表示，拟在内华达州尤卡山建设的核废物昀终处理库将不再是美国储存高放废物的一个选项。

2. University of Michigan:美国密歇根大学，建于 1817年。

3. Princeton University:美国普林斯顿大学，建于 1746年。

4. Congress:美国国会，美国昀高立法机关，由参议院 (Senate)和众议院(House of Representatives)组成。

5.…was shelved: ……被束之高阁。 6. spent nuclear fuel:也叫做 used nuclear fuel，一般译为“乏核燃料”。

7. high-level nuclear waste:高（强度）放（射性）核废物。

8. geological repositories in a variety of rock types:各种不同岩层中的地质处置库。 geological repositories指的是地表以下 300~1500米的稳定的地质体中建造的用于昀终处置高放废物和乏核燃料的工程设施。处置库是一个多重屏障系统，工程屏障由废物体、废物罐、外包装和缓冲回填材料组成，而天然屏障则是能有效阻滞放射性核素迁移的地质体，包括花岗岩、粘土岩、凝灰岩和岩盐等。许多专家认为地质处置是安全的，技术上是可行的，对环境是无害的。

Which of the following words can best substitute the word “withdrawal” in the first paragraph?

A:Retirement. B:Disposal. C:Replaced D:Disposal.

The Sahara

    The nameSaharaderives from the Arabic word for "desert" or "steppe". At 3. 5 million square miles，an area roughly the size of the United States，the Sahara Desert in northern Africa is the largest desert in the world. lt spans the continent from theAtlantic Oceanto theRed Sea. Daytime temperatures can reach as high as 130°F. The humidity sometimes gets into the teens. But it can also be as low as 2. 5 percent，the lowest in the world. Most of the Sahara receives less than five inches of rain per year，while large areas sometimes have no rainfall at all for years.

    At the heart of the Sahara is the landlocked north African country ofNiger. Here the sand dunes can be 100 feet tall and several miles long. Here sand plains stretch over an area larger thanGermanywhere there is neither water nor towns. Yet sitting in the midst of the surrounding desert is the town ofBilma. Suddenly there are pools of cIear water. Surprisingly，there are groves of date palms. Underground water resources，or oases，sufficient to support irrigated agriculture are found in dry stream beds and depressions. ¹Irrigation ditches run off a creek to water fields. ²  Corn，cassava，tea，peanuts，hot peppers，and orange，lime，and grapefruit trees grow in these fields. Donkeys and goats graze on green grass. ³

    The Sahara of Niger is still a region where you can see a camel caravan of 500 camels tied together in loose lines as long as a mile，traveling toward such oasis towns. There a caravan will collect life-sustaining salt，which is mined from watery basins，and transport it up to 400 miles back to settlements on the edges of the desert. The round trip across the vast sands takes one month.

词汇:

Humidity / hju:ˈmɪdəti / n. 湿度

irrigate / " lrlgelt/ v. 灌溉

stretch / stretʃ / v. 伸展

camel / "kæml / n. 骆驼

date palms n. 椰枣树

注释:

1. Underground water resources，or oases，sufficient to support irrigated agriculture are found in dry stream beds and depressions. 在干河床和洼地处可找到充足的地下水资源或者绿洲来支持灌溉农业。

2. Irrigation ditches run off a creek to water fields. 灌溉沟渠通过一条小溪到达水田中。

In this passage caravan means _______.

A:traveling circus B:group traveling together through difficult country C:railroad train D:a small，fast sailing ship

The Sahara

    The nameSaharaderives from the Arabic word for "desert" or "steppe". At 3. 5 million square miles，an area roughly the size of the United States，the Sahara Desert in northern Africa is the largest desert in the world. lt spans the continent from theAtlantic Oceanto theRed Sea. Daytime temperatures can reach as high as 130°F. The humidity sometimes gets into the teens. But it can also be as low as 2. 5 percent，the lowest in the world. Most of the Sahara receives less than five inches of rain per year，while large areas sometimes have no rainfall at all for years.

    At the heart of the Sahara is the landlocked north African country ofNiger. Here the sand dunes can be 100 feet tall and several miles long. Here sand plains stretch over an area larger thanGermanywhere there is neither water nor towns. Yet sitting in the midst of the surrounding desert is the town ofBilma. Suddenly there are pools of cIear water. Surprisingly，there are groves of date palms. Underground water resources，or oases，sufficient to support irrigated agriculture are found in dry stream beds and depressions. ¹Irrigation ditches run off a creek to water fields. ²  Corn，cassava，tea，peanuts，hot peppers，and orange，lime，and grapefruit trees grow in these fields. Donkeys and goats graze on green grass. ³

    The Sahara of Niger is still a region where you can see a camel caravan of 500 camels tied together in loose lines as long as a mile，traveling toward such oasis towns. There a caravan will collect life-sustaining salt，which is mined from watery basins，and transport it up to 400 miles back to settlements on the edges of the desert. The round trip across the vast sands takes one month.

词汇:

Humidity / hju:ˈmɪdəti / n. 湿度

irrigate / " lrlgelt/ v. 灌溉

stretch / stretʃ / v. 伸展

camel / "kæml / n. 骆驼

date palms n. 椰枣树

注释:

1. Underground water resources，or oases，sufficient to support irrigated agriculture are found in dry stream beds and depressions. 在干河床和洼地处可找到充足的地下水资源或者绿洲来支持灌溉农业。

2. Irrigation ditches run off a creek to water fields. 灌溉沟渠通过一条小溪到达水田中。

In this passage caravan means _______.

A:traveling circus B:group traveling together through difficult country C:railroad train D:a small，fast sailing ship