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We may think we're a culture that gets rid of our worn technology at the first sight of something shiny and new, but a new study shows that we keep using our old devices (装置) well after they go out of style. That's bad news for the environment — and our wallets —as these outdated devices consume much more energy than the newer ones that do the same things.
To figure out how much power these devices are using, Callie Babbitt and her colleagues at the Rochester Institute of Technology in New York tracked the environmental costs for each product throughout its life — from when its minerals are mined to when we stop using the device. This method provided a readout for how home energy use has evolved since the early 1990s. Devices were grouped by generation. Desktop computers, basic mobile phones,and box-set TVs defined 1992. Digital cameras arrived on the scene in 1997. And MP3 players, smart phones, and LCD TVs entered homes in 2002, before tablets and e-readers showed up in 2007.
As we accumulated more devices, however, we didn't throw out our old ones. "The living-room television is replaced and gets planted in the kids' room, and suddenly one day, you have a TV in every room of the house," said one researcher. The average number of electronic devices rose from four per household in 1992 to 13 in 2007. We're not just keeping these old devices —we continue to use them. According to the analysis of Babbitt's team, old desktop monitors and box TVs with cathode ray tubes are the worst devices with their energy consumption and contribution to greenhouse gas emissions (排放) more than doubling during the 1992 to 2007 window.
So what's the solution (解决方案) The team's data only went up to 2007,but the researchers also explored what would happen if consumers replaced old products with new electronics that serve more than one function, such as a tablet for word processing and TV viewing. They found that more on-demand entertainment viewing on tablets instead of TVs and desktop computers could cut energy consumption by 44%.
1.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.They go out of style quickly.
2.Why did Babbit's 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 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.
单词梳理
Para 1
1.culture n.文化 2.get rid of 丢弃,摆脱 3.worn adj.旧了的,破了的 4.technology n.技术
5.at the first sight of 第一眼 6.shiny adj.光亮的 7.study n.研究 8.keep doing sth 继续做某事
9.device n.装置 10.go out of style 过时 11.wallet n.钱包 12.outdated adj.过时的
13.device n.装置 14.consume v.消耗 15.energy n.能量
Para 2
16.figure out v.算出 17.power n.能量 18.colleague n.同事 19.institute n.机构,研究所
20.technology n.技术 21.track v.跟踪 22.environmental adj.环境的 23.cost n.成本,花费,耗费
24.product n.产品 25.throughout 贯穿 26.life n.生命 27.mineral n.矿物
28.mine v.采矿 29.stop doing sth 停止做某事 30.device n.装置 31.from A to B 从A到B
32.method n.方法 33.provide v.提供 34.readout n.读数 35.energy n.能源
36.evolve v.进化 37.group v.分类 38.generation n.一代人 39.desktop computer 台式电脑
40.basic adj.基础的 41.mobile phone 移动电话 42.box-set TV 机顶盒式电视机 43.define v.下定义
44.digital camera 数码相机 45.arrive v.到达 46.scene n.现场,场景 47.LCD TV 液晶电视
48.enter v.进入 49.tablet n.平板电脑 50.show up 出现,露面
Para 3
51.as 随着 52.accumulate v.积累 53.device n.装置 54.throw out 扔掉
55.living-room n.客厅 56.television n.电视 57.replace v.替换 58.plant v.植入
59.suddenly adv.突然 60.researcher n.研究者 61.average adj.平均的 62.the number of …的数量
63.electronic adj.电子的 64.device n.装置 65.rise rose v.增长 66.household n.家庭
67.keep v.保存 68.device n.装置 69.continue to do sth 继续做某事 70.according to 根据
71.analysis n.分析 72.desktop adj.台式的 73.monitor n.监控器 74.with 附带有
75.cathode n.电子 76.ray n.射线 77.tube n.管子 78.the worst adj.最糟糕的
79.consumption n.消耗 80.contribution n.贡献 81.greenhouse gas 温室气体 82.emission n.排放
83.double v.加倍 84.during 在…期间 85.window n.短暂的时机
Para 4
86.solution n.解决方案 87.data n.数据 88.go up to 到…为止 89.researcher n.研究者
90.explore v.探索 91.happen v.发生 92.consumer n.消费者 93.replace A with B 用B代替A
94.product n.产品 95.electronic adj.电子的 96.serve v.提供,服务 97.function n.功能
98.such as 例如 99.tablet n.平板电脑 100.process v.处理 101.view v.观看
102.demand n/v.要求 103.entertainment n.娱乐 104.tablet n.平板电脑 105.instead of 代替
106.desktop computer 台式电脑 107.cut v.削减 108.consumption n.消耗
题目
109.environment-friendly adj.环境友好型 110.cost v.花费 111.go out of style 过时 112.quickly adv.很快地
113.conduct v.实施 114.research n.研究 115.reduce v.减少 116.cost n.成本,花费
117.mineral n.矿物 118.test v.测试 119.the life cycle 生命周期 120.product n.产品
121.update v.更新 122.consumer n.消费者 123.technology n.技术 124.find out 找出
125.electricity n.电 126.consumption n.消耗 127.device n.装置 128.the following 以下的
129.the least adj.最少的 130.energy n.能量 131.the box-set TV 机顶盒式电视机 132.the tablet 平板电脑
133.the LCD TV 液晶电视 134.the desktop computer 台式电脑 135.suggest v.建议 136.electronic device 电子装置
137.stop doing sth 停止做某事 138.take apart 拆开 139.upgrade v.升级 140.recycle v.回收
答案
一.译文
我们可能会认为自己有一种习惯,即:一看到新的东西,就抛弃了我们陈旧的技术,但一项新的研究显示,我们在旧设备过时之后,仍然在继续使用它们。这对环境和我们的钱包来说都是个坏消息,因为这些过时的设备要比做同样事情的新设备消耗更多的能量。
为了弄清楚这些设备使用了多少能量,Callie Babbitt和她的同事在纽约罗切斯特研究所,跟踪了每一种产品在其生命周期内的环境成本——从开采矿物开始到我们停止使用这个工具。这一研究手段提供了一个数据,即:从20世纪90年代初以来,家庭能源的使用发生了怎样的变化。设备按代分类。台式电脑、基本移动电话、笔记本电脑和机顶盒式电视机被定义为1992年产品。数码相机于1997年问世。2002年,mp3播放器、智能手机、液晶显示器(LCD)电视机进入家中,2007年出现了平板电脑和电子阅读器。
然而在我们拥有了更多电子设备之时,我们并没有扔掉那些老的设备。“客厅的电视机被换掉了,之后就被装在了孩子的卧室里。结果,突然有一天,你房子里的每一个房间都拥有了一台电视。”一位研究学者说道。每个家庭平均拥有的电器数量从1992年的每家4台到了2007年的每家13台。我们不仅仅是在保存这些老的电器,我们是在接着使用它们。根据Babbitt团队的分析,有着电子射线管的老式的桌面监控器及箱式电视机在能源消耗和温室气体的排放方面是最糟糕的电子设备。在1992年到2007年期间,它们的消耗和排放量超出了两倍。
那么,解决方案是什么呢?虽然该团队的数据搜集仅到2007年为止,但研究人员也研究了如果消费者用具有多种功能的新式电子产品取代传统电子产品时会发生什么情况。他们研究了一台具有文字处理和电视观看功能的平板电脑。发现在平板电脑上观看按需娱乐的节目比在台式电视和台式电脑上看要节约44%的耗能。
1.作者对新设备有什么看法?
A.它们是环境友好型的。 B.它们不比旧的好。
C.在家里使用花费更多。 D.它们很快就过时了。
2.为什么Babbitt的研究小组要实施这项研究?
A.降低矿物成本。 B.测试产品的生命周期。
C.更新消费者的新技术。 D.找出设备的耗电量。
3.下列別项消耗的能量最少?
A.盒式电视机。 B.平板电脑。
C.液晶电视。 D.台式计算机。
4.这篇文章建议人们如何处理旧电子设备?
A.停止使用它们。 B.拆开它们。
C.升级它们。 D.回收它们。
二.答案和解析
1.A 推断题。根据文章第一段的前两句话可知,第一句表明人们并不会迅速抛弃旧的电子产品,第二句That'sbad news for the environment — and our wallets — as these outdated devices consume much more energy than the newer ones that do the same things.说明持续使用旧的电子产品对环境而言是不利的,因为旧电子产品更耗能。因此,新电子产品应该是相对节能,即环保的。故正确答案为A。
2.D 细节题。根据文章第二段第一句话中的To figure out how much power these devices are using,可知,实验的目的是测量这些电器的耗电量。A项,意为“降低矿物成本”。B项,意为“测试产品生命周期”。C项,意为“使消费者了解新技术”。D项,意为“发现这些电器的耗电量”。故正确答案为D。
3.B 细节题。根据文章第四段最后一句话 They found that more on-demand entertainment viewing on tablets instead of TVs and desktop computers could cut energy consumption by44%.可知,tablets 比TVs和desktop computers 耗电量低,故 tablets是最省电的。故正确答案为B。
4.A 推断题。根据文章的第一段可知,作者认为持续使用旧的电子产品既不环保也不经济,中间段落在测试各代电子产品进一步证明首段的观点。尾段谈到解决方案,研究人员测试出如果弃置旧电器,换用新的多功能电子产品,将有近一半的能源节省,因此可以得出,作者支持用新产品彻底替代旧产品。即停止使用旧产品。故正确答案为A。
单词梳理
Para 1
1.culture 2.get rid of 3.worn 4.technology
5.at the first sight of 6.shiny 7.study 8.keep doing sth
9.device 10.go out of style 11.wallet 12.outdated
13.device 14.consume 15.energy
Para 2
16.figure out 17.power 18.colleague 19.institute
20.technology 21.track 22.environmental 23.cost
24.product 25.throughout 26.life 27.mineral
28.mine 29.stop doing sth 30.device 31.from A to B
32.method 33.provide 34.readout 35.energy
36.evolve 37.group 38.generation 39.desktop computer
40.basic 41.mobile phone 42.box-set TV 43.define
44.digital camera 45.arrive 46.scene 47.LCD TV
48.enter 49.tablet 50.show up
Para 3
51.as 52.accumulate 53.device 54.throw out
55.living-room 56.television 57.replace 58.plant
59.suddenly 60.researcher 61.average 62.the number of
63.electronic 64.device 65.rise rose 66.household
67.keep 68.device 69.continue to do sth 70.according to
71.analysis 72.desktop 73.monitor 74.with
75.cathode 76.ray 77.tube 78.the worst
79.consumption 80.contribution 81.greenhouse gas 82.emission
83.double 84.during 85.window
Para 4
86.solution 87.data 88.go up to 89.researcher
90.explore 91.happen 92.consumer 93.replace A with B
94.product 95.electronic 96.serve 97.function
98.such as 99.tablet 100.process 101.view
102.demand 103.entertainment 104.tablet 105.instead of
106.desktop computer 107.cut 108.consumption
题目
109.environment-friendly 110.cost 111.go out of style 112.quickly
113.conduct 114.research 115.reduce 116.cost
117.mineral 118.test 119.the life cycle 120.product
121.update 122.consumer 123.technology 124.find out
125.electricity 126.consumption 127.device 128.the following
129.the least 130.energy 131.the box-set TV 132.the tablet
133.the LCD TV 134.the desktop computer 135.suggest 136.electronic device
137.stop doing sth 138.take apart 139.upgrade 140.recycle
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