The Age of Miracle Chips
New microtechnology will transform society
It is tiny, only about a quarter of an inch square, and quite flat. Under a microscope, it resembles a stylized Navaho rug or the aerial view of a railroad switching yard. Like the grains of sand on a beach, it is made mostly of silicon , next to oxygen the most abundant element on the surface of the earth.
Yet this inert fleck – still unfamiliar to the vast majority of Americans – has astonishing powers that are already transforming society. For the so-called miracle chip has a calculating capability equal to that of a room-size computer of only 25 year s ago. Unlike the hulking Calibans of vacuum tubes and tangled wires from which it evolved , it is cheap, easy to mass produce, fast, infinitely versatile and convenient.
The miracle chip represents a development in the technology of mankind that over the past few years has acquired the force and significance associated with the development of hand tools or the discovery of the steam engine. Just as the Industrial Revolution took over an immense range of tasks from men's muscles and enormously expanded productivity, so the microcomputer is rapidly assuming huge burdens of drudgery from the human brain and thereby expanding the mind’ s capacities in ways that man has only begun to grasp. With the chip, amazing feats of memory and execution become possible in everything from automobile engines to universities and hospitals, from farms to banks and corporate offices, from outer space to a baby's nursery.
Living: Pushbutton Power
It is 7: 30 a. m. As the alarm clock burrs , the bedroom curtains swing silently apart, the Venetian blinds snap up and the thermostat boosts the heat to a cozy 70°. The percolator in the kitchen starts burbling; the back door opens to let out the dog. The TV set blinks on with the day's first newscast: a selective rundown (ordered up the night before) of all the latest worldwide events affecting the economy – legislative, political, monetary. After the news on TV comes the morning mail, from correspondents who have dictated their messages into the computer network. The latter-day Aladdin, still snugly abed, then presses a button on a bedside box and issues a string of business and personal memos, which appear instantly on the genie screen. After his shower, which has turned itself on at exactly the right temperature at the right minute, Mr. A. is alerted by a buzzer and a blue light on the screen. His boss, the company president, is on his way to the office. A. dresses and saunters out to the car. The engine, of course, is running...
After her husband has kissed her goodbye, Alice A. concentrates on the screen for a read-out of comparative prices at the local merchants' and markets. Following eyeball-to-eyeball consultations with the butcher and the baker and the grocer on the tube, she hits a button to commandeer supplies for tonight's dinner party. Pressing a couple of keys on the kitchen terminal, she order s from the memory bank her favorite recipes , tells the machine to compute the ingredients for six servings, and directs the ovens to reach the correct temperature for each dish according to the recipe, starting at 7: 15 p. m. Alice then joins a televised discussion of Byzantine art (which she has studied by computer). Later she wanders into the computer room where Al ("Laddy") Jr. has just learned from his headset that his drill in Latin verb conjugation was " groovy ".
Wellsian fantasy? Maybe. But while this matutinal scenario may still be years away, the basic technology is in xistence. Such painless, productive awakenings will in time be a familiar thing. And, barring headaches, tummy aches and heartaches, the American day should proceed as smoothly as it begins. All thanks to the miracle of the microcomputer, the super cheap chip that can electronically shoulder a vast array of boring, time-consuming tasks.
The microelectronic revolution promises to ease, enhance and simplify life in ways undreamed of even by the utopians. At home or office, routine chores will be performed with astonishing efficiency and speed. Leisure time, greatly increased, will be greatly enriched. Public education, so often a dreary and capricious process in the U. S., may be invested with the inspiriting quality of an Oxford tutorial – from preschool on. Medical care will be delivered with greater precision.
Letters will not so easily go astray . It will be safer to walk the streets because people will not need to carry large amounts of cash; virtually all financial transactions will be conducted by computer. In the microelectronic village, the home will again be the center of society, as it was before the Industrial Revolution.
Mass production of the miracle chip has already made possible home computer systems that sell for less than $800 – and prices will continue to fall. Many domestic de-vices that use electric power will be computerized. Eventually, the household computer will be as much a part of the home as the kitchen sink; it will program washing machines, burglar and fire alarms, sewing machines, a robot vacuum cleaner and a machine that will rinse and stack dirty dishes. When something goes wrong with an appliance a question to the computer will elicit repair instructions – in future generations, repairs will be made automatically. Energy costs will be cut by a computerized device that will direct heat to living areas where it is needed, and turn it down where it is not; the device's ubiquitous eye, sensing where people are at all times, will similarly turn the lights on and off as need-ed.
Paper clutter will disappear as home information management systems take over from memo pads, notebooks, files, bills and the kitchen bulletin board.
While it may be a number of year s before the average housewife can do her shopping by computer TV, the basic instrumentation is already in place in an ever-growing number of supermarkets.
The computer might appear to be a dehumanizing factor, but the opposite is in fact true. It is already leading the consumer society away from the mass-produced homogeneity of the assembly line. The chip will make it possible some day to have shoes and clothes made to order – the production commanded and directed by computer – within minutes. The custom-made object, now restricted to the rich, will be within everyone's reach. In no area of American life is personal service so precious as in medical care. Here, too, the computer has be-come a humanizing factor; the patient tends to give a more candid account of his symptoms, and medical history to a machine programmed to ask the proper preliminary questions than to a harassed(v. 使筋疲力盡) regimen and possibly intimidating doctor.
At a few hospitals, computers are programmed not only to remind the pharmacy department to prepare prescriptions but also to alert nurses to give the proper dosage at the right time.
Next to health, heart and home, happiness for mobile Americans depends upon the automobile. Computer technology may make the car, as we know it, a Smithsonian antique. In addition to the microprocessors under the hood that will help the auto operate more efficiently, tiny computers will ease tensions and make life simpler for the drive and passengers too. Ford Motor Co. now offers buyers of its Continental Mark Vs an option called "miles to empty". At the push of a button, the driver can get a read-out on the amount of fuel in the tank, and the number of miles he can expect to go (at current speed) before a refill is necessary. Driver s of General Motors 1978 Cadillac Seville will also be able to punch a button and find out the miles yet to go to a preset destination and the estimated arrival time. The ultimate auto will accommodate a pencil-sized portable phone capable of reaching any number in the world in seconds, automatic braking that will take over from a panicked driver, and a miniradar to avert collisions.
The widest benefits of the electronic revolution (unlike those of most revolutions) will accrue to the young. Seymour Papert, professor of mathematics and education at M. I. T., estimates that there will be 5 million private computers in people's homes and available to students within two years; by 1982, he predicts, 80% upper middle class families will have computers "capable of playing important roles in the intellectual development of their children.” Says California Author Robert Albrecht, a pioneer of electronic education: "In schools, computers will be more common than slide projectors, movie film projectors and tape recorders. They'll be used from the moment school opens, through recess, through lunch period, and on as far into the day as the principal will keep the school open." Across the country, "these magical beasts", as they have been called, are assisting hassled, often incompetent teachers. They are revivifying soporific students, dangling and delivering intellectual challenges beyond the ken of most educators.
For the mighty army of consumers, the ultimate applications of the computer revolution are still around the bend of a silicon circuit. It is estimated that there are at least 25, 000 applications of the computer awaiting discovery. Notes The Economist: "To ask what the applications are is like asking what are the applications of electricity." Certainly the miracle chip will affect American life in ways both benign and productive. The computer revolution is stimulating intellects, liberating limbs and propelling vmankind to a higher order of existence.
(from time, February 20,1978)
神奇的集成電路片時(shí)代
(節(jié)選)
作者等信息
新生的微型技術(shù)將使社會(huì)發(fā)生巨變
這是一個(gè)極小的薄片,只有大約四分之一英寸見(jiàn)方。在顯微鏡下看起來(lái),它就像一幅繁花似錦的那伐鶴地毯,或是一幅鐵路調(diào)車(chē)場(chǎng)的鳥(niǎo)瞰圖。像海灘上的沙粒一樣,它的主要成分是硅--地球表面除氧之外蘊(yùn)含量最為豐富的元素。
然而,這種惰性小薄片--大多數(shù)美國(guó)人尚不熟悉--卻具有驚人的本領(lǐng),正在使我們的社會(huì)發(fā)生著巨變。這種被稱(chēng)為神奇的集成電路片的東西有著與二十五年前制造出的足有一間房子大的老式計(jì)算機(jī)相同的計(jì)算能力。那種老式計(jì)算機(jī)內(nèi)有許許多多的真空電子管和亂麻似的導(dǎo)線,又大又笨,形似怪物。集成電路片是由老式計(jì)算機(jī)衍化而來(lái)的,所不同的是它造價(jià)低廉,易于批量生產(chǎn),計(jì)算速度快,功能繁多,使用方便。
神奇的集成電路片代表了人類(lèi)科技的新發(fā)展。近幾年來(lái),這項(xiàng)技術(shù)的發(fā)展勢(shì)頭之迅猛和意義之深遠(yuǎn)足可與人類(lèi)歷史上生產(chǎn)工具的出現(xiàn)和蒸汽機(jī)的發(fā)明相提并論。正如工業(yè)革命替人類(lèi)承擔(dān)了大量繁重的體力勞動(dòng),并極大地發(fā)展了生產(chǎn)力一樣,微型計(jì)算機(jī)正迅速地替人類(lèi)承擔(dān)起大量繁重的腦力勞動(dòng),并以人們現(xiàn)在才開(kāi)始掌握的各種方式擴(kuò)大了人腦的功能。有了集成電路片,計(jì)算機(jī)存儲(chǔ)信息和執(zhí)行指令的驚人本領(lǐng)就在以汽車(chē)發(fā)動(dòng)機(jī)到大學(xué)和醫(yī)院,從農(nóng)場(chǎng)到銀行和公司辦公室,從外層空間到托兒所等各個(gè)領(lǐng)域發(fā)揮作用。
日常生活:按鈕的神通
早晨七點(diǎn)半鐘,鬧鐘鈴聲一響,臥室的窗簾輕輕地自動(dòng)往兩邊分開(kāi),百葉遮陽(yáng)簾啪地一聲向上卷起,恒溫器將室溫上調(diào)到令人愜意的華氏七十度。廚房里的咖啡壺開(kāi)始咕咕作響;后門(mén)自動(dòng)打開(kāi)放狗子出去。電視機(jī)熒光屏閃亮,開(kāi)始播放當(dāng)天的第一套新聞節(jié)目,這是(頭天晚上預(yù)設(shè)好的)選擇性新聞提要,內(nèi)容包括世界上最近發(fā)生的一切對(duì)經(jīng)濟(jì)有影響的,涉及立法、政治以及金融方面的重大事件。新聞播完后,屏幕上便接著顯示出早晨收到的信函,來(lái)函者都是通過(guò)將信息輸入計(jì)算機(jī)網(wǎng)絡(luò)而將信函傳遞過(guò)來(lái)的。此時(shí)仍舒舒服服躺在床上的那位現(xiàn)代阿拉丁緊接著便按下床頭柜上的一個(gè)按鈕,發(fā)出一連串公私事務(wù)上的備忘錄信息,這些信息立刻便出現(xiàn)在那魔幻似的屏幕上。浴室里淋浴器準(zhǔn)時(shí)地自動(dòng)打開(kāi),水溫也調(diào)控得恰到好處。阿先生洗完淋浴后,即得到一陣蜂鳴器的響聲和熒光屏上一道藍(lán)光的提示。他的上司--公司總經(jīng)理已經(jīng)出發(fā)上班了。阿先生這才穿好衣服,步態(tài)從容地走到汽車(chē)邊,他的汽車(chē)自然已經(jīng)發(fā)動(dòng)好了……
在丈夫與她吻別之后,艾麗斯o阿拉丁便全神貫注地審讀著屏幕上顯示出來(lái)的當(dāng)?shù)馗骷疑痰旰褪袌?chǎng)的物價(jià)對(duì)照表。在電視屏幕上與肉店、面包店和雜貨店老板們進(jìn)行面對(duì)面的商談之后,她按下一個(gè)按鈕,訂購(gòu)當(dāng)天晚宴所需的各種物品。接著,她又按下廚房計(jì)算機(jī)終端設(shè)備上的幾個(gè)按鈕,從計(jì)算機(jī)存儲(chǔ)器中調(diào)出一些她所喜愛(ài)的菜譜,指令計(jì)算機(jī)計(jì)算出六份飯菜所需的各種配料的數(shù)量,指示烤爐下午七點(diǎn)十五分點(diǎn)火,根據(jù)菜譜上的要求調(diào)節(jié)出烹飪各道菜時(shí)的合適溫度。接下來(lái),艾麗斯參加了一場(chǎng)拜占廷藝術(shù)電視討論會(huì)(她是通過(guò)計(jì)算機(jī)學(xué)習(xí)拜占廷藝術(shù)的)。過(guò)后,她信步走進(jìn)微機(jī)室。在那里,小阿拉迪剛從耳機(jī)中得知,他的拉丁語(yǔ)動(dòng)詞變位練習(xí)成績(jī)"優(yōu)良"。
這完全是科學(xué)幻想嗎?也許是吧。但是,盡管以上描述的那一連串發(fā)生在早晨的事情還要過(guò)若干年后才能變成現(xiàn)實(shí),實(shí)現(xiàn)這一切所需的基本技術(shù)業(yè)已問(wèn)世。像以上描述的那種早晨舒舒服服地起來(lái),不費(fèi)多大勁卻能做好許多事情,這種情況將來(lái)會(huì)極為普通。只要沒(méi)有頭痛、胃痛和心痛,美國(guó)人一天的生活會(huì)過(guò)得像一天開(kāi)始時(shí)一樣順暢。這一切全是由于微型計(jì)算機(jī)的神奇功能,使得那造價(jià)極低廉的集成電路片能用電子技術(shù)擔(dān)負(fù)起大量令人厭煩又耗費(fèi)時(shí)間的工作。
微型電子技術(shù)革命可望減輕生活負(fù)擔(dān),提高生活質(zhì)量,簡(jiǎn)化生活程序,而且這些美好前景是連幻想家們做夢(mèng)也沒(méi)有想到過(guò)的。無(wú)論是家里還是辦公室里,日?,嵤露紝⒁泽@人的高效率和高速度得到處理;休閑時(shí)間不僅會(huì)大大增加,也會(huì)變得更加豐富多彩;在美國(guó),常常是枯燥乏味、變化無(wú)常的公共教育也將會(huì)具有像牛津大學(xué)導(dǎo)師制教育那樣令人振奮的質(zhì)量--從學(xué)前教育開(kāi)始即是這樣。醫(yī)療衛(wèi)生服務(wù)也會(huì)更加完善而少出差錯(cuò)。
信件誤投的事將不再會(huì)經(jīng)常發(fā)生;在大街上行走會(huì)變得更加安全,因?yàn)槿藗冊(cè)俨槐仉S身攜帶大量的現(xiàn)金,幾乎所有的金融交易都將通過(guò)計(jì)算機(jī)來(lái)完成;在微型電子化社會(huì)里,家庭將再度成為社會(huì)活動(dòng)的中心,就像工業(yè)革命前的情形一樣。
神奇的集成電路片的大規(guī)模生產(chǎn),已經(jīng)使家庭計(jì)算機(jī)系統(tǒng)的售價(jià)有可能低于八百美元--而且價(jià)格還將繼續(xù)下跌。許許多多的家用電器都將由計(jì)算機(jī)來(lái)控制。終有一天,家用計(jì)算機(jī)將會(huì)像廚房的洗滌槽一樣成為極普通的家庭日常用具;通過(guò)計(jì)算機(jī)程序來(lái)控制洗衣機(jī)、防盜防火報(bào)警器、縫紉機(jī)、機(jī)器人吸塵器和全自動(dòng)洗碗機(jī)。一旦某種機(jī)器出了故障,只需問(wèn)一下計(jì)算機(jī)即可馬上調(diào)出修復(fù)指令--將來(lái)生產(chǎn)的換代計(jì)算機(jī)還會(huì)自動(dòng)排除故障。能源消耗也可以通過(guò)一種計(jì)算機(jī)控制的裝置得以降低,因?yàn)檫@種裝置能自動(dòng)地根據(jù)各生活區(qū)的需要送熱,而對(duì)不需要的地區(qū)則關(guān)閉熱源。該裝置的那只萬(wàn)能的眼睛時(shí)時(shí)刻刻能感知到哪兒有人哪兒沒(méi)人,因此,它同樣可以根據(jù)需要開(kāi)關(guān)電燈。
隨著家用信息處理系統(tǒng)取代備忘簿、筆記本、文件夾、帳本和廚房記事板的功能,廢紙堆將再也看不見(jiàn)了。
盡管要等到若干年后普通的家庭主婦才能通過(guò)電腦電視采購(gòu)物品,但達(dá)到這一目標(biāo)的基本技術(shù)設(shè)備已在越來(lái)越多的超級(jí)市場(chǎng)里裝置起來(lái)了。
表面看起來(lái),計(jì)算機(jī)似是一種導(dǎo)致人類(lèi)特性喪失的因素,但實(shí)際情況恰恰相反。計(jì)算機(jī)正引導(dǎo)著消費(fèi)者群體擺脫由流水線大批生產(chǎn)出來(lái)的各種產(chǎn)品千篇一律的狀況。將來(lái)總有一天,集成電路片會(huì)使根據(jù)顧客要求定制鞋子和衣服的程序--由計(jì)算機(jī)控制進(jìn)行--有可能在幾分鐘內(nèi)完成。目前這種定制生產(chǎn)的產(chǎn)品還只有少數(shù)富人能夠享用,到那時(shí)便人人都可享用了。
在醫(yī)療衛(wèi)生領(lǐng)域中,個(gè)人服務(wù)比在美國(guó)生活的其他任何領(lǐng)域都顯得重要。在這個(gè)領(lǐng)域中,計(jì)算機(jī)的參與也同樣會(huì)成為一個(gè)人性化的因素。若由一臺(tái)計(jì)算機(jī)按編好的程序來(lái)恰當(dāng)?shù)叵虿∪颂釂?wèn)以了解病情而不是由一位疲憊不堪、模樣可能有點(diǎn)嚇人的醫(yī)生來(lái)詢問(wèn)病情的話,病人一定會(huì)更準(zhǔn)確詳盡地說(shuō)出自己的癥狀、飲食習(xí)慣和病史。
在有些醫(yī)院里,計(jì)算機(jī)有編好的程序用來(lái)提醒藥房按處方配藥,并提示護(hù)士按時(shí)按量讓患者服藥。
對(duì)于流動(dòng)性強(qiáng)的美國(guó)人來(lái)說(shuō),除了健康、愛(ài)情和美滿家庭之外,幸福還有賴于汽車(chē)。計(jì)算機(jī)技術(shù)有可能會(huì)使我們現(xiàn)在所熟悉的汽車(chē)成為博物館里的古董。除了裝在發(fā)動(dòng)機(jī)罩底上的微型處理器有助于提高汽車(chē)運(yùn)行效率外,微型計(jì)算機(jī)還能簡(jiǎn)化汽車(chē)操縱程序,提高安全系數(shù),使開(kāi)車(chē)人和坐車(chē)人既放心又省心。福特汽車(chē)公司現(xiàn)在已經(jīng)可以向購(gòu)買(mǎi)該公司所產(chǎn)大陸牌V型轎車(chē)的用戶提供一種叫"燃料里程計(jì)量器"的東西。司機(jī)只需按下一個(gè)按鈕,即可從表上看出油箱中的現(xiàn)存油量及在有必要重新加油前他的汽車(chē)所能行駛(以當(dāng)時(shí)的行速)的里程數(shù)。駕駛通用汽車(chē)公司一九七八年產(chǎn)的卡迪拉克牌塞維利亞型轎車(chē)的司機(jī)也享有類(lèi)似的便利:只要按一個(gè)按鈕,就能知道離預(yù)定的某個(gè)目的地尚有多少里程以及預(yù)計(jì)到達(dá)目的地的時(shí)間。將來(lái)生產(chǎn)出來(lái)的最高級(jí)的轎車(chē)上將會(huì)裝備一個(gè)只有鉛筆般大,卻能在幾秒鐘內(nèi)撥通世界上任何號(hào)碼的移動(dòng)電話,還會(huì)裝備一個(gè)能代替措手不及的司機(jī)剎車(chē)的自動(dòng)剎車(chē)裝置和一個(gè)避免發(fā)生撞車(chē)事故的微型雷達(dá)。
電子革命的最大、最多的好處(與其他幾次革命不同)將體現(xiàn)在年輕人身上。據(jù)麻省理工學(xué)院數(shù)學(xué)和教育學(xué)教授塞摩爾o帕波特預(yù)測(cè),兩年之內(nèi)進(jìn)人家庭供學(xué)生用的個(gè)人電腦將達(dá)五百萬(wàn)臺(tái);他預(yù)測(cè)出,到一九八二年,百分之八十的上中層階級(jí)的家庭將擁有"能對(duì)他們子女的智力開(kāi)發(fā)起重要作用"的計(jì)算機(jī)。電子化教育的先驅(qū)、加利福尼亞作家羅伯特o阿布萊希特說(shuō)過(guò),"在學(xué)校里,計(jì)算機(jī)將比幻燈機(jī)、放影機(jī)和錄音機(jī)更為常見(jiàn)。從學(xué)校一開(kāi)門(mén),到課間休息、午休,直至校長(zhǎng)宣布放學(xué),從頭至尾計(jì)算機(jī)都會(huì)發(fā)生作用。"
舉國(guó)上下,"這些神奇的動(dòng)物"一一人們是這樣稱(chēng)呼計(jì)算機(jī)的--都在為那些精疲力竭、力不從心的教師們助一臂之力。它們正在重新激起那些厭學(xué)的學(xué)生的學(xué)習(xí)熱情,以多數(shù)教師尚未知悉的方式吸引著學(xué)生們并給他們以求知的動(dòng)力。
對(duì)廣大消費(fèi)者而言,要全面應(yīng)用計(jì)算機(jī)革命的一切成果為時(shí)尚早。據(jù)估計(jì),計(jì)算機(jī)至少還有二萬(wàn)五千種用途有待我們?nèi)グl(fā)現(xiàn)?!督?jīng)濟(jì)學(xué)家》雜志曾發(fā)表文章評(píng)論說(shuō),"要問(wèn)計(jì)算機(jī)有多少種用途,就同問(wèn)電有多少種用途一樣。"神奇的集成電路片必然會(huì)以既有益又有效的方式影響美國(guó)生活,計(jì)算機(jī)革命正在促進(jìn)人的智力發(fā)展,解放人的四肢,將人類(lèi)生活提到一個(gè)更高的水平。
(摘自《時(shí)代》,1978年2月20日)
詞匯(Vocabulary)
miracle ( n.) :an event or action that apparently contradicts known scientific laws and is hence thought to be due to supernatural causes,esp. to an act of God奇跡
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chip ( n.) :a semiconductor body in which an integrated circuit is formed or is to be formed集成電路片
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silicon ( n.) :a nonmetallic chemical element occurring in several forms.found always in combination,and more abundant in nature than any other element except oxygen,with which it combines to form silica(used in the manufacture of transistors。solar cells,rectifiers,silicones,ceramics,etc.)硅(符號(hào)Si)
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inert ( adj.) : having few or no active properties;inactive惰性的
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fleck ( n.) :a small piece;flake;particle小片,薄片;粒子,微粒
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hulking ( adj.) :1arge,heavy,and often unwieldy or clumsy巨大的,龐大的;笨重的
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tangle ( v.) :make a knot or snarl of;intertwist使糾結(jié);使糾纏
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evolve ( v.) :develop gradually by a process of growth and change演變;進(jìn)化;發(fā)展
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versatile ( adj.) :competent in many things;able to turn easily from one subject or occupation to another;many-sided;adaptable to many uses or functions多才多藝的;多方面的;多用途的;萬(wàn)能的;多功能的
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drudgery ( n.) :work that is hard,menial。or tiresome單調(diào)乏味的工作
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burr ( v.) :.make a whirring sound發(fā)嘎嘎聲;發(fā)颼颼聲
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Venetian blind ( n.) :a window blind made of a number of thin,horizontal wooden,metal,or plastic slats that can be set together at any angle to regulate the light and air pressing through or drawn up together to the top of the window by means of cords軟百葉簾;活動(dòng)百葉窗
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thermostat ( n.) :an apparatus for regulating temperature, esp. one that automatically controls a heating unit恒溫器
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boost ( v.) :make higher or greater;increase in amount.power。etc.提高;(在數(shù)量、力量等方面)增加
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cozy ( adj.) :warm and comfortable;snug溫暖舒適的;安逸的
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percolator ( n.) :a kind of coffeepot in which the boiling water repeatedly bubbles up through a tube and filters back to the bottom through the coffee grounds,which are held in a perforated container咖啡滲濾壺
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burble ( v.) :make a gurgling or bubbling sound(流水)做汩汩聲,潺潺做聲
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rundown ( n.) :a concise summary or outline綱要;總結(jié)
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snug ( adj.) :warm and cozy;comfortable溫暖的;舒適的/snugly adv.
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memo ( n.) :(clipped form of memorandum)a short note written to help one remember something or remind one to do something(memorandum的縮略形式)備忘錄;筆記
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genie/jinni ( n.) :[Moslem legend]a supernatural being that can take human or animal form and influence human affairs(穆斯林傳說(shuō)中的)神靈;神怪(能化為人形或獸形,影響人的事務(wù))
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saunter ( v.) :walk about idly;stroll閑逛;漫步
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commandeer ( n.) :穢.seize(property)for military or governmental use征用(人力或物力)
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recipe ( n.) :a list of materials and directions for preparing a dish or drink烹飪法;食譜
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Byzantine ( adj.) :designating or of the decorative style of the mosaics,frescoes,etc.,of the Byzantine Empirs. characterized by lack of perspective,use of rich colors,esp. gold, and emphasis on religious symbolism(指鑲嵌畫(huà)、壁畫(huà)等工藝美術(shù))拜占廷式的
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conjugation ( n.) :a methodical presentation or arrangement of the inflectional forms of a verb(動(dòng)詞的)詞形變化
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groovy ( adj.) :[Am.slang]very pleasing or attractive(a generalized term of approval)[美俚]絕妙的;極好的(一般贊許詞)
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matutinal ( adj.) :of or in the morning;early早晨的;早的
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scenario ( n.) :a description of a possible course of action or events(進(jìn)行活動(dòng)或?qū)嵤╉?xiàng)目的)計(jì)劃書(shū);方案
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barring ( prep.) :unless there should be;excepting除…外;不包括
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tummy ( n.) :stomach(a child's word)(兒語(yǔ))肚子
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array ( n.) :an impressive display or assembled persons or things(排列整齊的)一批;大量
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utopian ( n.) :a person who believes in a utopia,esp. of a social or political nature;visionary空想家
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chore ( n.) :(often used in p1.)a small routine task,as of a housekeeper or farmer;odd job(常用于復(fù)數(shù))日常零星工作,零星活兒(如家庭雜務(wù),農(nóng)場(chǎng)雜活等)
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capricious ( adj.) :subject to caprices;tending to change abruptly and without apparent reason;inconstant多變的,變幻莫測(cè)的
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tutorial ( n.) :a class in a tutorial system(導(dǎo)師制中)由導(dǎo)師個(gè)別指導(dǎo)
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rinse ( v.) :wash lightly,esp. by dipping into water or by letting water run over,into,or through沖洗;漂洗
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elicit ( v.) :draw forth;evoke得出;引出;導(dǎo)出
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ubiquitous ( adj.) :present,or seeming to be present,everywhere at the same time;omnipresent(似乎)同時(shí)普遍存在的;似乎無(wú)處不在的
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dehumanize ( v.) :deprive of human qualities,as pity,kindness,individuality,creativity,etc.;make inhuman or machinelike使失人性,使無(wú)人性;使成獸性;使像機(jī)器
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homogeneity ( n.) :the same in structure,quality,etc.同類(lèi);同族
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candid (adj.) :very honest or frank in what one says or writes誠(chéng)實(shí)的,坦率的;直言相告的
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symptom ( n.) :any condition accompanying or resulting from a disease or a physical disorder and serving as an aid in diagnosis癥狀.
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regimen ( n.) :a regulated system of diet,exercise,etc.for therapy or the maintenance or improvement of health生活規(guī)則;攝生法
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harass ( v.) :trouble,worry,or torment,as with cares,debts,repeated questions,etc.使煩惱;使困惱;折磨
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intimidate ( v.) :make timid;make afraid;overawe使膽怯,使害怕;威懾;嚇住
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pharmacy ( n.) :a place where pharmacy is practiced;drugstore藥房;藥店
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panic ( v.) :affect with panic;fear使恐慌;使驚慌
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avert ( v.) :keep from happening;ward off;prevent避免;防止(災(zāi)禍等)發(fā)生;擋住
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accrue ( v.) :come as a natural growth,advantage,or right(to)(常與to連用)(利益等)及到(某人);(權(quán)利等)歸于(某人)
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recess ( n.) :a temporary withdrawal from or halting of work,business,study,etc.休息;休會(huì);休假
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hassle ( v.) :[Am.slang]subject to persistent or acute annoyance[美俚]使煩惱;擾亂,騷擾,不斷地打擾
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revivify ( v. ) :put new life or vigor into;cause to revive使復(fù)活,使蘇醒;使恢復(fù)活力
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soporific ( adj.) :causing or tending to cause sleep;of or characterized by sleep or sleepiness催眠的,致睡的;困倦的;酣睡的
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dangle ( v. ) :be a hanger-on;follow追求,追逐,追隨
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ken ( n.) :mental perception or recognition;range of knowledge;understanding認(rèn)識(shí);知識(shí)范圍;理解
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benign ( adj.) :favorable;beneficial有利的;有益的
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propel ( v.) :push,drive,or impel onward,forward,or ahead推動(dòng);推進(jìn);鼓勵(lì)
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短語(yǔ)(Expressions)
accrue to(sb.)(from sth.): increase,come as a natural increase or advantage增加,權(quán)力或利益歸于某人及到某人
例:Knowledge will accrue to you from reading.讀書(shū)能增加知識(shí)。