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。

How tiny is one battery part?

A:Its width is one tenth of a hair． B:It equals the width of a hair． C:It is as thin as a piece of paper． D:Its width is too tiny to measure．

Transport and Trade

    1 Transport is one of the aids to trade. By moving goods from places where they are plentiful to places where they are scarce, transport adds to¹ their value. The more easily goods can be brought over the distance that separates producer and consumer, the better for trade. When there were no railways, no good roads, no canals, and only small sailing ships, trade was on a small scale².

    2 The great advances made in transport during the last two hundred years were accompanied³ by a big increase in trade. Bigger and faster ships enabled a trade in meat to develop between BritainandNew Zealand, for instance. Quicker transport makes possible mass-production and big business, drawing supplies from, and selling goods to, all parts of the globe. Big factories could not exist without transport to carry the large number of workers they need to and from their homes. Big city stores could not have developed unless customers could travel easily from the suburbs and goods delivered to their homes. Big cities could not survive unless food could be brought from a distance.

    3 Transport also prevents waste. Much of the fish landed at the ports would be wasted if it could not be taken quickly to inland towns. Transport has given us a much greater variety of foods and goods since we no longer have to live on⁴ what is produced locally. Foods which at one time could be obtained only during a part of the year can now be obtained all through the year. Transport has raised the standard of living.

    4 By moving fuel, raw materials, and even power, as, for example, through electric cables, transport has led to the establishment of industries and trade in areas where they would have been impossible before. Districts and countries can concentrate on⁵ making things which they can do better and more cheaply than others and can then exchange them with one another. The cheaper and quicker transport becomes, the longer the distance over which goods can profitably be carried. Countries with poor transport have a lower standard of living.

    5 Commerce requires not only the moving of goods and people but also the carrying of messages and information. Means of communication, like telephones, cables and radio, send information about prices, supplies, and changing conditions in different parts of the world. In this way, advanced communication systems also help to develop trade.

词汇：

aid /eid/ n．帮助，援助

plentiful /"plentiful/ adj．充裕的，丰富的

scarce /skeəs / adj．匾乏的，缺少的

canal /kə"næl/ n．运河

suburbs /"sʌbəbz/ n．郊区

deliver /di"livə/v．送（货）

port /pɔ:t/ n．港口

cable /"keibl/ n．电缆

commerce /"kɔməs/ n．商业

注释：

1.    add to：增添，增加

2.    on a small scale：小规模地。注意这里用的介词是on。

3.    accompany：伴随。例如：The dance was accompanied by music．音乐伴舞。

4.    live on：以……为主食

5.    concentrate on：集中

B at any time during the year

C has gieatly promoted trade

D is it possible to produce on a large scale

E the transport of goods

In the trade of modem society the transmission of information plays as important a role as _________.

A:A B:B C:C D:D E:E F:F

某电信市场有一家同时拥有骨干网和接入网的主导电信运营商A，以及两家只拥有接入网并提供接入服务的运营商B、C。A、B、C在接入服务市场竞争经营，为用户提供无差异的服务，但B、C提供接入服务必须使用A的骨干网络并向A缴纳费用。假设A的骨干网的单位成本为0.10元，A、B、C接入网的单位成本均为0.20元。

如果A收取的骨干网使用费为每单位0.15元，A在接入服务市场上收取的零售资费为每单位0.40元，则B、C的单位盈利最多为（ ）

A:0.05元 B:0.10元 C:0.15元 D:0.20元

The Norwegian Nobel Committee has decided to (21) the Nobel Peace Prize for 1998 to John Hume and David Trimble for their efforts to find a (22) solution to the conflict in Northern Ireland.
Over the past thirty years, the national, religious and social (23) in Northern Ireland has cost over 3,500 people their lives. John Hume has throughout been the clearest and most (24) of Northern Ireland’s political leaders in his (25) for a peaceful solution. The foundations of the peace agreement (26) on Good Friday 1998 reflect principles which he has stood for.
As the (27) of the traditionally predominant party in Northern Ireland, David Trimble showed great political (28) when, at a critical stage of the process, he advocated solutions which led to the peace (29) . As the head of the Northern Ireland government, he has (30) the first steps towards building up the mutual confidence on which a lasting peace must be based.
The Norwegian Nobel Committee also wishes to (31) the importance of the positive (32) to the peace process made by other Northern Irish leaders, and by the governments of Great Britain, Ireland, and the United States.
The Norwegian Nobel Committee (33) the hope that the foundations which have now been laid will not (34) lead to lasting peace in Northern Ireland, but also serve to (35) peaceful solutions to other religious, ethnic and national conflicts around the world.

A:person B:leader C:one D:part

The Norwegian Nobel Committee has decided to (21) the Nobel Peace Prize for 1998 to John Hume and David Trimble for their efforts to find a (22) solution to the conflict in Northern Ireland.
Over the past thirty years, the national, religious and social (23) in Northern Ireland has cost over 3,500 people their lives. John Hume has throughout been the clearest and most (24) of Northern Ireland’s political leaders in his (25) for a peaceful solution. The foundations of the peace agreement (26) on Good Friday 1998 reflect principles which he has stood for.
As the (27) of the traditionally predominant party in Northern Ireland, David Trimble showed great political (28) when, at a critical stage of the process, he advocated solutions which led to the peace (29) . As the head of the Northern Ireland government, he has (30) the first steps towards building up the mutual confidence on which a lasting peace must be based.
The Norwegian Nobel Committee also wishes to (31) the importance of the positive (32) to the peace process made by other Northern Irish leaders, and by the governments of Great Britain, Ireland, and the United States.
The Norwegian Nobel Committee (33) the hope that the foundations which have now been laid will not (34) lead to lasting peace in Northern Ireland, but also serve to (35) peaceful solutions to other religious, ethnic and national conflicts around the world.

A:person B:leader C:one D:part

The Norwegian Nobel Committee has decided to (21) the Nobel Peace Prize for 1998 to John Hume and David Trimble for their efforts to find a (22) solution to the conflict in Northern Ireland.
Over the past thirty years, the national, religious and social (23) in Northern Ireland has cost over 3,500 people their lives. John Hume has throughout been the clearest and most (24) of Northern Ireland’s political leaders in his (25) for a peaceful solution. The foundations of the peace agreement (26) on Good Friday 1998 reflect principles which he has stood for.
As the (27) of the traditionally predominant party in Northern Ireland, David Trimble showed great political (28) when, at a critical stage of the process, he advocated solutions which led to the peace (29) . As the head of the Northern Ireland government, he has (30) the first steps towards building up the mutual confidence on which a lasting peace must be based.
The Norwegian Nobel Committee also wishes to (31) the importance of the positive (32) to the peace process made by other Northern Irish leaders, and by the governments of Great Britain, Ireland, and the United States.
The Norwegian Nobel Committee (33) the hope that the foundations which have now been laid will not (34) lead to lasting peace in Northern Ireland, but also serve to (35) peaceful solutions to other religious, ethnic and national conflicts around the world.

A:person B:leader C:one D:part

The Norwegian Nobel Committee has decided to (21) the Nobel Peace Prize for 1998 to John Hume and David Trimble for their efforts to find a (22) solution to the conflict in Northern Ireland.
Over the past thirty years, the national, religious and social (23) in Northern Ireland has cost over 3,500 people their lives. John Hume has throughout been the clearest and most (24) of Northern Ireland’s political leaders in his (25) for a peaceful solution. The foundations of the peace agreement (26) on Good Friday 1998 reflect principles which he has stood for.
As the (27) of the traditionally predominant party in Northern Ireland, David Trimble showed great political (28) when, at a critical stage of the process, he advocated solutions which led to the peace (29) . As the head of the Northern Ireland government, he has (30) the first steps towards building up the mutual confidence on which a lasting peace must be based.
The Norwegian Nobel Committee also wishes to (31) the importance of the positive (32) to the peace process made by other Northern Irish leaders, and by the governments of Great Britain, Ireland, and the United States.
The Norwegian Nobel Committee (33) the hope that the foundations which have now been laid will not (34) lead to lasting peace in Northern Ireland, but also serve to (35) peaceful solutions to other religious, ethnic and national conflicts around the world.

A:person B:leader C:one D:part