Nanotechnology:Technology on a Small Scale剑桥雅思10听力-原文翻译及答案解析

一、Nanotechnology:Technology on a Small Scale 听力原文：

Today we’re going to look at an important area of science, namely nanotechnology.

So what is it?

Nano means tiny, so it's science and engineering on the scale of atoms and molecules.

The idea is that by controlling and rearranging atoms, you can literally create anything.

However, as we'll see, the science of the small has some big implications affecting us in many ways.

There's no doubt that nanotechnology promises so much for civilisation.

However, all new technologies have their teething problems.

And with nanotechnology, society often gets the wrong idea about its capabilities.

Numerous science-fiction books and movies have raised people's fears about nanotechnology - with scenarios such as inserting little nano-robots into your body that monitor everything you do without you realising it, or self-replicating nano-robots that eventually take over the world.

So how do we safeguard such a potentially powerful technology?

Some scientists recommend that nano-particles be treated as new chemicals with separate safety tests and dear labelling.

They believe that greater care should also be taken with nano-particles in laboratories and factories.

Others have called for a withdrawal of new nano products such as cosmetics and a temporary halt to many kinds of nanotech research.

But as far as I'm concerned there's a need to plough ahead with the discoveries and applications of nanotechnology.

I really believe that most scientists would welcome a way to guard against unethical uses of such technology.

We can't go around thinking that all innovation is bad, all advancement is bad.

As with the debate about any new technology, it is how you use it that's important.

So let's look at some of its possible uses.

Thanks to nanotechnology, there could be a major breakthrough in the field of transportation with  the production of more durable metals.

These could be virtually unbreakable, lighter and much more pliable leading to planes that are 50 times lighter than at present.

Those same improved capabilities will  dramatically reduce the cost of travelling into space making it more accessible to ordinary people and opening up a totally new holiday destination.

In terms of technology, the computer industry will be able to shrink computer parts down to minute sizes.

We need nanotechnology in order to create  a new generation of computers that will work even faster and will have a million times more memory but will be about the size of a sugar cube.

Nanotechnology could also revolutionise the way that we generate power.

The cost of solar cells will be drastically reduced so harnessing this energy will be far more economical than at present.

But nanotechnology has much wider applications than this and could have an enormous impact on our environment.

For instance, tiny airborne nano-robots could be programmed to actually rebuild the ozone layer, which could lessen the impact of global warming on our planet.

That's a pretty amazing thought, isn't it?

On a more local scale, this new technology could help with the clean-up of environmental disasters  as nanotechnology will allow us to remove oil and other contaminants from the water far more effectively.

And, if nanotechnology progresses as expected —as a sort of building block set of about 90 atoms—then you could build anything you wanted from the bottom up.

In terms of production, this means that you only use what you need and so there wouldn't be any waste.

The notion that you could create anything at all has major implications for our health.

It means that we'll eventually be able to replicate anything.

This would have a phenomenal effect on our society.

In time it could even lead to the eradication of famine through the introduction of machines that produce food to feed the hungry.

But it's in the area of medicine that nanotechnology may have its biggest impact.

How we detect disease will change as  tiny biosensors are developed to analyse tests in minutes rather than days.

There's even speculation nano-robots could be used to slow the ageing process, lengthening life expectancy.

As you can see, I'm very excited by the implications that could be available to us in the next few decades.

Just how long it'll take, I honestly don't know.

二、Nanotechnology:Technology on a Small Scale 听力中文翻译：

今天我们要看一个重要的科学领域，即纳米技术。

那是什么？

纳米意味着微小，所以它是原子和分子尺度上的科学和工程。

这个想法是，通过控制和重新排列原子，你可以创造任何东西。

然而，正如我们将看到的，小科学在许多方面影响着我们。

毫无疑问，纳米技术为人类文明带来了巨大的希望。

然而，所有新技术都有其初期问题。

而对于纳米技术，社会对其能力的认识往往是错误的。

无数科幻小说和电影引发了人们对纳米技术的担忧，比如在你的身体中插入微型纳米机器人，在你没有意识到的情况下监测你所做的一切，或者自我复制的纳米机器人最终接管世界。

那么，我们如何保护这种潜在的强大技术呢？

一些科学家建议将纳米颗粒作为新的化学品进行单独的安全测试和昂贵的标签。

他们认为，实验室和工厂也应更加小心处理纳米粒子。

其他人则呼吁撤回化妆品等新型纳米产品，并暂时停止多种纳米技术研究。

但就我而言，有必要继续探索纳米技术的发现和应用。

我真的相信，大多数科学家都会欢迎一种防止不道德使用此类技术的方法。

我们不能认为所有的创新都是坏事，所有的进步都是坏事。

正如关于任何新技术的辩论一样，重要的是你如何使用它。

让我们看看它的一些可能用途。

多亏了纳米技术，运输领域可能会有重大突破，生产出更耐用的金属。

这些飞机可能几乎不易破碎、更轻、更柔韧，从而使飞机重量比目前轻50倍。

这些改进的功能将大大降低太空旅行的成本，使普通人更容易进入太空，并开辟一个全新的度假目的地。

在技术方面，计算机行业将能够将计算机部件缩小到最小尺寸。

我们需要纳米技术来创造新一代的计算机，这种计算机的工作速度更快，内存将增加100万倍，但只有方糖那么大。

纳米技术还可以彻底改变我们的发电方式。

太阳能电池的成本将大大降低，因此利用这种能源将比目前经济得多。

但纳米技术的应用范围比这要广泛得多，并可能对我们的环境产生巨大影响。

例如，微小的机载纳米机器人可以编程来实际重建臭氧层，这可以减轻全球变暖对地球的影响。

这是一个非常令人惊讶的想法，不是吗？

在更为局部的范围内，这项新技术可以帮助清理环境灾难，因为纳米技术将使我们能够更有效地清除水中的石油和其他污染物。

而且，如果纳米技术如预期的那样发展——作为一种由大约90个原子组成的积木，那么你可以自下而上构建任何你想要的东西。

就生产而言，这意味着你只使用你需要的东西，所以不会有任何浪费。

你可以创造任何东西的想法对我们的健康有重大影响。

这意味着我们最终将能够复制任何东西。

这将对我们的社会产生巨大的影响。

随着时间的推移，它甚至可以通过引进生产食物的机器来喂养饥饿的人，从而消灭饥荒。

但纳米技术可能在医学领域产生最大的影响。

随着微型生物传感器的发展，我们检测疾病的方式将发生变化，这种传感器可以在几分钟而不是几天内分析测试结果。

甚至有人猜测纳米机器人可以用来减缓衰老过程，延长预期寿命。

正如你所看到的，我对未来几十年可能给我们带来的影响感到非常兴奋。

我真的不知道要花多长时间。

三、Nanotechnology:Technology on a Small Scale 听力问题：

Question 31-33

Choose the correct letter, A, B or C.

31.The speaker says that one problem with nanotechnology is that

A. it could threaten our way of life.

B. it could be used to spy on people.

C. it is misunderstood by the public.

32.According to the speaker, some scientists believe that nano-particles

A. should be restricted to secure environments.

B. should be used with more caution.

C. should only be developed for essential products.

33.In the speaker's opinion, research into nanotechnology

A. has yet to win popular support.

B. could be seen as unethical.

C. ought to be continued.

Question 34-40

Complete the notes below.

Write ONE WORD ONLY for each answer.Uses of Nanotechnology

Transport

?　Nanotechnology could allow the development of stronger

?　Planes would be much lighter in weight.

?　travel will be made available to the masses.

Technology

?　Computers will be even smaller, faster, and will have a greater

?　energy will become more affordable.

The Environment

? Nano-robots could rebuild the ozone layer.

?　Pollutants such as　could be removed from water more 　easily.

? There will be no　from manufacturing.

Health and Medicine

? New methods of food production could eradicate famine.

? Analysis of medical　will be speeded up.

? Life expectancy could be increased.

四、Nanotechnology:Technology on a Small Scale 听力答案：

31.C

32.B

33.C

34.metal / metals

35.space / Space

36.memory

37.solar / Solar

38.oil

39.waste

40.tests

五、Nanotechnology:Technology on a Small Scale 听力答案解析

31. C　该题的定位词是题干中的problem，三个选项的关键信息分别是threaten our way of life、be used to spy on people 和misunderstood by the public。该部分开篇的内容都是一些背景介绍，所以在听了很多内容以后，录音提到However, all new technologies have their teething problems. 这句话中的problem 帮我们找到了题干的定位。然后录音又说And  with nanotechnology, society often gets the wrong idea about its capabilities. 这句话正好和选项C 中的“被大众误解”一致，所以答案选C。

32. B　该题的定位词是scientists 和nano-particles，三个选项的关键信息分别是restricted to secure environment, be used with more caution 和only be developed for essential products。录音中说Some scientists  recommend... 就一下找到了题干的定位。该句中提到的separate safety tests and clear labelling 和选项A 中的secure environments 不符，所以是干扰信息。再下一句录音说They  believe that greater care should also be taken with nano-particles in laboratories and factories. 其中greater care should be taken 就是选项B 中be used with more caution 的同义替换，所以答案是B。

33. C　该题的定位词是research，三个选项的关键信息分别是“赢得了支持”“被视为不人道”以及“应该继续研究”。录音中提到...many kinds of nanotech research 就帮助我们找到了定位。紧接着下一句说But as far as I’m concerned there’s a need to plough ahead with the discoveries... 该句中的plough ahead 指的是“继续挖掘”，连同前面出现的need，就是要表达有必要继续研究纳米技术，所以答案为C。

34.metals　该空格的定位词是transport 和development of stronger，听录音前应该判断出该空格应为名词，并且空格前有stronger 这个比较级，所以听的时候需要注意比较级后面的表达。在录音中，我们先听到了...there could be a major breakthrough in the field of transportation... 我们利用transportation 进行定位，然后后面说...with the production of more durable metals. 在听到more durable 的时候应该反应出后面听到的名词metals 就是答案，而且需要用复数形式。

35.space　该空格的定位词是planes, lighter, weight, travel, available 和masses 这几个容易听到的实意词，其中跟空格关系最近的应该是travel，所以在听录音的过程中注意travel 前后出现的名词或者形容词。在录音中，我们先听到了lighter and much more pliable leading to planes... 这句话提到的是卷面上第二个圆点对应的信息。也就提醒我们接下来应该会提到旅游的问题，刚好下一句话...reduce the cost of travelling into space making it more... 中在travelling 后面就出现了一个space，刚好符合卷面上space travel 这个表达，所以答案是space。

36.memory　该空格的定位词是technology, computers, smaller, faster 和greater，其中空格和greater 的关系最近，所以考生在预测答案的时候应该注意听smaller 和faster 之后的信息。录音提到In terms of technology, the computer industry...down to minute size...that will work even faster... 这句话中的minute size 对应卷面上的smaller，而computer 和faster 都在录音中出现了原词。接下来录音说...will have a million times more memory but... 这句话中的more 就是卷面上的greater 的同义替换，因此more 后面出现的memory 就是答案。

37.solar　该空格的定位词是energy 和more affordable，其中空格和energy 的关系最近，所以考生应该着重听表示能源的词汇前后的名词或者形容词。录音中说Nanotechnology could also... 其中的also 这个表示递增关系的信号词告诉考生信息来到了下一个圆点引出的层次。紧接着说...that we generate power，这里的power 就是卷面上energy 的同义替换。下一句The cost of solar cells will be drastically reduced... 当中的solar cells，即“太阳能电池”就等于卷面上的solar energy，因此答案就是solar。

38.oil　该空格的定位词是pollutants such as 和removed from water，其中和空格关系最近的是pollutants such as。不过通常主动、被动语态可以相互转换，因此在关注污染的同时，考生也需要注意could be removed 可能在录音中变成主动语态。录音提到...nanotechnology will allow us to remove oil and other contaminants from the water... 这句话中恰好是把卷面上的被动语态转换成了主动语态，并且卷面上的pollutants 在录音中被换成了contaminants，极容易被考生漏听。因此该空格的答案是remove 后面出现的oil，这也是对污染列举的一个例子。

39.waste　该空格的定位词是no 和manufacturing，不过和空格关系最近的是no，因此考生应该着重听录音中表示“没有”和“无”后面的名词。录音中出现this means 这个表示解释强调的信号词，考生就应该注意后面是说话人要强调的信息。之后录音提到there wouldn’t be any waste，于是我们马上找到了表示“没有”的信息，因此答案为waste。

40.tests　该空格的定位词是analysis of medical 和speeded up，通过读题考生应判断出空格是一个名词，并且是要分析的东西，还跟医疗有关系。录音说...in the area of medicine that... 听到medicine 时，考生应该意识到答案马上就要出现了。然后，接下来一句说...are developed to analyse tests in minutes rather than days. 我们听到了要分析的东西，那就是我们需要的答案tests，而句子中的in minutes rather than days 是对卷面上be speeded up 的同义替换。

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