1、Passage 8 Should We Get Rid of Old Devices Timely？1 We may think were aculturethat gets rid of our worn technology at the first sight of somethingshiny and new, but a new study shows that we keep using our old devices well after they gooutof style. 2 Thats badnews for the environment and our wallets
2、 as these outdated devices consume much more energy than the newer ones that do the same things. 3 Tofigure outhow much power these devices are using, Callie Babbitt and her colleaguesat the Rochester Institute of Technology in New York tracked the environmental costs for eachproduct throughout its
3、lifefrom when itsmineralsareminedto when we stop using the device. 4 This method provided areadoutfor how home energy use hasevolvedsince the early 1990s.5 Devices were grouped by generation. 6 Desktop computers, basic mobile phones, and box-set TVs defined 1992. 7 Digital cameras arrived on the sce
4、nein 1997. 8 And MP3 players, smart phones, and LCD TVs entered homes in 2002, before tablets and e-readers showed up in 2007.9 As weaccumulatedmore devices, however, we didnt throw out old ones. 10 “Theliving-room television is replaced and gets planted in the kids room, and suddenly one day, you h
5、ave a TV in every room of the house,” said one researcher.11 The average number ofelectronic devices rose from 4 per household in 1992 to 13 in 2007. 12 Were not just keepingthese old devicesWe continue to use them. 13 According to the analysis of Babbitts team, olddesktop monitors and box TVs with
6、cathode ray tubes are the worst devices with their energyconsumption andcontribution togreenhouse gas emissions more than doubling duringthe 1992 to 2007 window.14 So whats the solution? 15 The teams data only went up to 2007, butthe researchersalso explored what would happen if consumers replaced o
7、ld products with newelectronics that serve more than one function, such as a tablet for word processing and TV viewing.16 Theyfound that moreon-demandentertainment viewing on tablets instead of TVs and desktop computers could cut energy consumption by 44%.一单词和短语Words and expressionsgooutof style 过时o
8、utdated /atdetd/ adj. 过时的；旧式的mine /man/ n. 矿; 矿井; 地雷; 水雷vt. & vi.开采* readout /ridat/ n. 读出on the scene 在场；出现；到场* cathode /kd/ n. (-)阴极；负极* cathode ray tube阴极射线管tablet /tblt/ n. 碑；药片；写字板 outmoded /atmdd/ adj. 过时的* eliminate /lmnet/ v. 除去；剔除；淘汰二 参考译文Translation 我们应该及时摒弃旧设备吗？1我们可能认为，在我们的文化习惯中，我们一见到闪闪发光
9、的新东西就会摒弃用旧了的技术产品，但一项新的研究表明，当旧设备过时了之后我们仍然继续使用着它们。2这对于环境以及我们的钱包而言可都不是什么好消息，因为这些过时的设备比做相同事情的新设备消耗更多的能源。3为了弄清楚这些设备的耗电量，在纽约的罗彻斯特理工学院工作的凯莉.巴贝特和她的同事们跟踪调查了每个产品在它整个生命周期造成的环境代价生命周期是指从产品所需原料的开采到我们停止使用该产品的时间。4这个方法能揭示出自二十世纪九十年代初期以来家庭能源使用是如何变化的。5不同的年代出现了不同的设备。6台式电脑、最初的移动电话和盒式电视界定了1992年。7 1997年数码相机问世。8 MP3播放器、智能手机
10、和液晶电视在2002年走进千家万户，之后，平板电脑和电子阅读器在2007年粉墨登场。9然而，当我们逐渐积累了更多的设备时，我们并未扔掉我们的旧设备。10 一位研究人员说：“客厅里的电视被新的取代了，并被搬到了孩子的房间里。突然有一天家里的每个房间都有了一台电视”。 11每个家庭拥有的电子设备的平均数从1992年的4件变成2007年的13件。12我们不仅仅一直保存着这些旧设备我们还继续使用它们。13根据巴贝特科研组的分析，内部带有阴极射线管的旧台式显示器和盒式电视是最不好的设备，它们消耗的能源以及造成的温室气体排放量在1992年到2007年这段时间内增加了一倍多。14那么如何解决这个问题呢？15
11、该科研组的数据只更新到2007年，但是研究人员还对以下这个问题进行了探究：如果消费者使用多功能的新电子设备比如一个既能进行文字处理又能观看电视的平板替换旧设备，会发生什么事？16 他们发现，更多地用平板电脑取代电视机和台式电脑进行娱乐点播观看能够减少44%的能源消耗。三 理解Comprehension1. What does the author think of new devices？A. They are environment-friendly. B. They are no better than the old.C. They cost more to use at home. D
12、. They go out of style quickly.2. Why did Babbitts team conduct the research？A. To reduce the cost of minerals.B. To test the life cycle of a product.C. To update consumers on new technology.D. To find out electricity consumption of the devices.3. Which of the following uses the least energy？A. The
13、box-set TV. B. The tablet. C. The LCD TV. D. The desktop computer.4. What does the text suggest people do about old electronic devices？A. Stop using them. B. Take them apart.C. Upgrade them. D. Recycle them.四用另一个单词或短语替换以下摘自本文的单词或短语。Replace the following words or phrases in the passage with another w
14、ord or phrase.1 gets rid of, gooutof style 2 outdated, do the same things 3 tracked 4 provided areadoutfor, evolved 5 grouped 8 showed up 14 solution 15 old products 16 cut_五概要写作Summary writing (in about 60 words)Passage 8三ADBA四1 throws out/ throws away/ drops/ eliminates, become outdated 2 old-fash
15、ioned/ old-style, serve the same function/ have the same function 3 followed 4 revealed/ uncovered, developed 5 sorted/ classified 8 arrived on the scene 14 answer 15 worn technology/worn devices/ worn electronic appliances/ outdated devices /old-fashioned electronics 16 reduce五Researchers of the Ro
16、chester Institute of Technology, who examined the energy use of different equipment during its entire life, have found that people are often still using outmoded machines, which consume much more power than the latest technology serving the same function. To emit less pollution, wed better eliminate old devices timely.