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Unit 9
Computer Technology
After-Class Reading
PASSAGE I Microchips
No invention in history has so quickly spread throughout the world or so deeply touched so many parts of human existence as the microchip. Today there are nearly 15 billion microchips of some kind in use. In the face of that fact who can doubt that the microchip is not only changing the products we use, but also the way we live. Will it finally change the way we view reality?
If we were to take away the microchip from every application in which it is now used, we would be both stunned and frightened by the loss. The modern kitchen would become nearly useless, since the microwave, the dishwasher, and most other appliances would become unworkable. The television and VCR would fade[1] to black, the stereo would become quiet, and most of the clocks would stop. The car wouldn't start. Airplanes would be unable to leave the ground. The phone system would go dead[2], as[3] would most streetlights, thermostats, and, of course, a half-billion computers. And these are only a few of the most obvious applications. Every factory in the industrial world would also shut down, as would the electrical grid, stock exchanges, and the global banking system. Pacemakers would stop too, as would surgical equipment and various monitoring machines used in hospitals. All because of the loss of a tiny square of silicon the size of a fingernail, weighing less than a postage stamp.
The modern microchip contains as many as 20 million transistors, and each finished chip is the product of processes more complicated than those used in building the atomic bomb. Yet despite an extraordinarily sophisticated manufacturing process, microchips are mass-produced at the rate of more than a billion a year. To put this complexity in perspective, imagine that within each tiny microchip there exists a structure as complex as a mid-size city, including all of its power lines[4], phone lines, sewer lines, buildings, streets, and homes. Now imagine that throughout that same city, millions of people are racing around at the speed of light and with perfect timing in an intricately planned dance. That is just one chip.
Of all the stunning statistics used to describe the world of the microchip, none is more extraordinary than this: the total number of transistors packed[5] onto all of the microchips produced in the world this year (1998) is equivalent to the number of raindrops that fell in the state of California during that period. Faced with such astounding numbers, it becomes even more difficult to ask what it all means for us and for the generations to come.[6]
What is remarkable, and perhaps a little frightening, is that by all indications, we are only halfway through the story of the microchip.[7] It is not far-fetched to suggest that it will take another century of humankind to realize all of the implications of this revolution. Thus, all the miracles we see around us today resulting from the microchip may be but a tiny fraction of all the wonders that will derive from this device well into the next century.[8]
It is not merely an invention, but a meta-invention, which enables us to create yet[9] other inventions. Thousands of new devices and products have been made possible by the existence of the microchip and by the embedded intelligence it offers.
Packed in a microprocessor, the microchip is not only giving us power over our own lives, it is also the greatest instrument for accessing[10] information ever invented. It is allowing us to reach out from our desks, to grasp and share knowledge that was beyond the reach of the wealthiest man in the world just a century ago. It is freeing us to work at home, wherever we choose our home to be.
By the middle of the next century, the typical microprocessor may have more computing power than today's fastest supercomputers. It will talk, and more important[11], it will listen. The relationship we have with it will change in almost unimaginable ways. Yesterday, the microprocessor was a tool. Today, it is a partner and who knows what role it will play in our lives in the years to come? Just a few years ago who would have thought that in Shanghai, China, customers of the New World Department Store could try on clothes without undressing?[12] A video camera takes a customer's picture, the image is digitized, and changes of outfits or colors are as simple as point and click[13]. In Baltimore, Maryland, prospective astronauts simulate weightlessness by floating in water at the University of Maryland's Space Systems Lab pool. Buddhist monks in Thailand also have found important uses for computers. They use them to perform traditional tasks as well as to study the teachings of Buddha.
For hundreds of years, humankind has searched for the philosophers' stone[14], the magical object that turns ordinary metal into gold. Who would have thought it would turn out to be a little sliver of crystal with etching on its surface? The microchip, in the time of a single generation, has developed from a clever technical novelty to a tireless, almost invisible partner of humanity. Today there is no place on, above, or below the Earth that it has not reached. (865 words)
Proper Names
Baltimore
巴尔的摩（美国马里兰州中北部）
Maryland
马里兰州（美国州名）
New World Department Store
新世界百货公司
Shanghai
上海（市）
University of Maryland's Space Systems Lab
马里兰州立大学空间系统实验室
New Words
appliance
n. a piece of electrical equipment used in people's home 器械，装置
e.g. I) None of the kitchen appliances worked when the power went out.
II) Most homes now have numerous domestic appliances, from dishwashers to microwave ovens.
astounding
adj. amazing, surprising 令人震惊的，使人惊骇的
banking
n. the business of a bank 银行业
e.g. the international banking system
Buddhist
adj. belonging to or relating to Buddhism 佛教的
e.g. Buddhist monks佛教徒
compute
v. (formal) calculate a result, sum, answer, etc., especially by using a computer or calculator （用计算机或计数器）计算，估算
e.g. I) The cashier computed the bill with a calculator.
II) Scientists can accurately compute the course of the rocket.
crystal
n. a crystalline material used in electronics 晶体
e.g. Silicon combines with oxygen to form silica (硅石), the crystals of which can be found in quartz (石英).
digitize
v. put information into a digital form 数字化
dishwasher
n. a machine that washes and cleans dirty plates, cups, forks, etc.洗碟机
etching
n. engraving of a design on metal, glass, etc. 蚀刻
far-fetched
adj. extremely unlikely to be true or to happen 夸张的，不可信的
global
adj. of or about the whole world, worldwide 全球性的，全世界的
e.g. I) One country's pollution can have global effects.
II) The minister blamed the rise in unemployment on the global economic recession （衰退）.
grid
n. a system of wires through which electricity is connected to different power stations across a region 输电网
halfway
adj. at the midpoint between two things 中途的
invisible
adj. unable to be seen 看不见的
e.g. I) Sally was dancing on stage, and pretending to play an invisible guitar.
II) The moons of Saturn are invisible to the naked eye.
meta
prefix (technical) beyond the ordinary or usual 超越，超出
microchip
n. (also called chip) a very small piece of silicon containing a set of electronic parts used in computers and other machines 微芯片
microprocessor
n. the central chip in a computer, which controls most of its operations 微处理机
microwave
n. (also called microwave oven) a type of oven that cooks food very quickly using very short electric waves instead of heat 微波炉
monk
n. a member of an all-male religious group that lives in a monastery 修士，僧侣
outfit
n. a set of clothes worn together, especially for a special occasion （尤指在特殊场合穿的）全套服装
e.g. Have you bought your wedding outfit yet?
pacemaker
n. a device that is put into the body to keep the heartbeat regular （心脏）起搏器
postage
n. the money charged for carrying a letter, parcel, etc. by post 邮费，邮资
e.g. I) postage stamp (formal for stamp) 邮票
II) What was the postage on that parcel?
raindrop
n. a drop of rain 雨点
sewer
n. a pipe or passage under the ground that carries away waste material and used water from houses and factories 下水道，污水管
simulate
v. make a working model or representation of (a situation or process) 模拟
e.g. I) Some driving teachers use computers to simulate different road conditions for learners to practise on.
II) Cars are tested to see how much damage they suffer in simulated crashes.
sliver
n. a very small thin piece of something, usually broken off something larger 一小片
streetlight
n. a light at the top of a tall post in the street 路灯，街灯
stunning *
adj. surprising, astounding, shocking, amazing 令人惊奇的，令人震惊的
e.g. The company's stunning announcement surprised the employees.
supercomputer
n. a very fast, powerful mainframe computer, used in advanced military and scientific applications 巨型计算机，超级计算机
surgical
adj. connected with or used for medical operations 外科的，外科手术的
teachings
n. (plural) the moral, religious, or political ideas spread by a particular person or group 学说，主义，教义
e.g. The teachings of Confucius have influenced millions of people for centuries.
transistor
n. a small piece of electronic equipment that controls the flow of electricity 晶体管
e.g. I) The transistors were damaged by a surge （急增）of electrical power.
II) My computer has hundreds of transistors inside on small boards.
undress
v. take off one's clothes 脱去衣服
unimaginable *
adj. not possible to imagine 不可想象的，想不到的
e.g. Experiments were carried out under almost unimaginable conditions.
unworkable *
adj. that cannot function, that cannot be operated 不能使用（或操纵、操作、运作）的
e.g. I) His proposals for reform of the Trade Unions are unworkable and ill-judged.
II) She turned down all his suggestions as unworkable without giving them a try.
Phrases and Expressions
derive from
develop from 源自，源于
e.g. I) Most of John's problems derive from his bad attitude.
II) Laws to restrict working hours derive from 19th century attempts to protect women and child workers.
in the face of
confronted by 面对
e.g. We are powerless in the-face of such forces.
put/keep/get/consider something in perspective
be reasonable about something, understand and accept something 关系恰当地对待某事物，恰当不夸大地看待某事物
e.g. I) Hearing of her friend's tragedy helped her put her own problems in perspective.
II) We must get/keep the problem in perspective; it's not really that serious.
shut (something) down
(cause to) stop working, whether for a short time or forever (使)停工，歇业，关闭
e.g. I) Two thousand people will lose their jobs if the factory shuts down.
II) The company recently announced plans to shut down two factories and reduce its workforce by 4,000.
try something on
put on an item of clothing to see if it fits 试穿（衣服）
e.g. I) She tried on her new party dress.
II) Why don't you try it on-you don't have to buy it.
PASSAGE II Workplace of the 90's: High-Tech Sweatshop[1]?
Last month, in my position as a customer service representative for a large telecommunications company, I received 862 calls from customers (but I should have taken 900), my average "talk time" on those calls was 394 seconds (though it should have been only 300 seconds), and I was "idle" 6.7 percent of the time.[2] I know this because like millions of workers in a variety of professions, my actions on the job are continuously tracked by a computerized monitoring system.
Over the last decade, computerized monitoring has become a pervasive, intrusive, and often invisible presence in the workplace. According to the Office of Technology Assessment, six million American workers were being monitored daily in the performance of their jobs in 1986, and that figure jumped to more than eight million by 1990. A study found monitoring systems in 98 percent of the clerical and customer service divisions of such industries as banking, insurance, airline reservations, telemarketing, and telecommunications.
Three general categories of information are usually collected by monitoring systems: (1) job performance characteristics, such as the number of keystrokes entered, (2) job behaviors, like the amount of time between calls, and (3) service performance, in which an employer actually listens in on employee phone calls.
Managers defend and promote the use of monitoring technology, claiming that computers provide objective measures of performance and increase productivity. With regard to performance evaluation, the data provided are certainly objective; however, quantifiable measures-the length of a call as measured in seconds, the number of calls taken-are not indicative of the quality of performance. Furthermore, research does not support management's contentions of increased productivity from the use of surveillance technology. Studies reported over the last five years have failed to prove that even the most well-managed systems increase productivity.
Despite this lack of evidence, the use of monitoring systems is increasing rapidly. The Gartner Group, a data analysis firm, estimates that sales of computerized spying equipment topped[3] $175 million last year. That figure is projected[4] over the next five years to soar to more than a quarter of a billion dollars.
With the increasing popularity of monitoring technology there have, unfortunately, come abuses to both workers and customers. Evidence indicates that computerized monitoring can be detrimental to employees. A 1990 study conducted at the University of Wisconsin found significantly higher rates of stress-related illness among monitored workers than among those who were not monitored. When surveyed, employees of AT&T, TWA, Bell Canada, and Federal Express identified computerized monitoring or surveillance as the chief source of stress in the workplace.
As a person who works in a monitored environment, I certainly know the stress of feeling tied to a computer; seemingly, my every action is observed and recorded by unseen eyes. It is no wonder that the term "electronic sweatshop" is used to describe such conditions, where information and customers are processed in an assembly line fashion.[5]
But the stressful working conditions are not the only problem created by monitoring technology, the customers of the businesses employing such devices can also experience negative effects. What happens when the needs of customers conflict with the desire of workers to meet productivity standards set by computers? This question was answered in part by a disturbing circumstance at Bell Canada. A sophisticated monitoring system was installed to record information about everyone from managers to operators. The monitoring system continuously collected information about the operators as they worked: the length of calls, the number of calls taken, and the number of seconds between calls were tracked. Operators felt so pressured by the computerized presence of the monitoring system that when they were having trouble finding a number, they began giving incorrect information in order to get the customer off the phone so they could receive the next call. Certainly, that is not customer service and it is not productive. Bell Canada was forced to change its practices.
Federal Express, a company internationally known for excellent service to its customers, also abandoned individual monitoring of workers in response to service representatives' complaints of stress and the deterioration of customer satisfaction rating. In a personal interview I conducted with Mr. MacPherson, founder of Incoming Calls Management Institute, he stated that mismanagement of technology in the workplace shifts employee focus from quality to quantity. What emerges is a picture of an environment where the emphasis is on managing the technology as it spies on people doing their jobs, rather than promoting quality service to customers and providing a fair workplace[6].
Evidence does not support a correlation between computerized monitoring and greater productivity; on the contrary, it is detrimental to workers and impedes quality service. Therefore I contend that national legislation and individual action are required to ensure the ethical use of such technology.
Our role in stemming the tide of monitoring technology is three-fold: As voters, as employees, and as consumers we must act. First, as voters, we must support national legislation regulating monitoring. Secondly, as employees, we must ask the questions: What technology is being used in my workplace to record my activities? What data is being collected about me and how is it being used? Finally, as consumers, we must make business accountable for the level of service for which we pay.
If we do not purposefully exercise[7] our rights as voters, employees, and consumers, we will increasingly work under the watchful eyes of surveillance technology. By not acting, we perpetuate a world where an employer may legally eavesdrop on our phone calls to businesses, clients, and friends.[8] And when you call your phone company, you may just speak to me; and, of course, my employer may secretly be on that call with us. While you're expressing your concern, question, or so complaint, and as we approach 300 seconds of conversation, I'll be thinking about how to get off the line so the next call can come in-and the next-and the next call. Because, frankly, a customer is just one of a thousand "widgets" to be processed at your phone company's electronic sweatshop[9]. (1005 words)
Proper Names
Bell Canada
a global telecommunications company 加拿大贝尔公司
Federal Express Federal Express Corporation, also called FedEx
(美国)联邦快递公司
Incoming Calls Management Institute
a business or company which acts as a consulting firm to large communication companies to help them manage the large volume of incoming calls
McPherson
(姓）麦克弗森
Office of Technology Assessment
技术影响预测评定办公室
The Gartner Group
加特纳集团（美国一家数据分析公司）
TWA abbreviation for Trans-World Airlines
（美国）环球航空公司
New Words
accountable
adj. responsible 负有责任的
assembly
n. the process of putting parts together in order to make something 装配
assembly line
(工厂产品的)装配线
e.g. For the rest of the day, he worked on the assembly of an explosive device.
contention
n. (formal) an idea or opinion that someone expresses in an argument or discussion 论点
e.g. I) He found it an interesting aircraft to fly and confirm the design team's original contention that the low position of the tailplane(水平尾翼）was the correct one.
II) It is my contention that demand will exceed supply within the next five years.
eavesdrop
v. (eavesdropped, eavesdropping) secretly listen to other people talking in private 偷听（私人谈话）
idle
adj. not working or active, doing nothing 不在工作的，闲散的
e.g. I) Thousands of workers in the town are idle now that the car factories have closed.
II) What rather frustrated me was that you were kept idle all the time.
impede
v. hinder 阻碍，妨碍，阻止
incoming
adj. (only before noun) coming in 进来的
e.g. This small device automatically identifies the number from which an incoming telephone call is made.
incorrect *
adj. not correct or true, wrong 不正确的，错误的
e.g. Your assumption is right, but your conclusion is incorrect.
indicative
adj. being a sign of something, suggestive of something 表示的，暗示的
e.g. I) There are indicative signs that the economy may be improving.
II) Fever may be indicative of infection.
install
v. set up a piece of equipment for use 安装，设置
e.g. I) We installed a new dishwasher last week.
II) All gas stations have now installed pumps for lead-free (无铅的) gasoline.
keystroke
n. the action of pressing a key on a typewriter or computer keyboard (在打字机或计算机键盘上的)一次按击
mismanagement *
n. bad management or organization管理不善，处理不当
e.g. Mismanagement of the economy has plunged the country into recession (萧条).
perpetuate *
v. make something continue to exist for a long time 使永久或持续
e.g. These measures will only perpetuate the hostility between the two groups.
purposefully *
adv. with a clear aim or purpose, determinedly 有目的地，有决心地，果断地
e.g. She began walking slowly but purposefully towards the bridge.
quantifiable *
adj. that can be represented as an amount or number 可用数量表示的，可量化的
e.g. The benefits of the new policy are not easily quantifiable.
sweatshop
n. a small business, factory, etc. where people work hard in bad conditions for very little money 血汗工厂（工作条件恶劣而工资低的）
telecommunications
n. (plural) the sending and receiving of messages over distance, especially by telephone, radio and television 电信
e.g. The company specializes in telecommunications.
telemarketing
n. the advertising or selling of goods or services by telephone 电话销售，电话推销
widget
n. something considered typical or representative, as of a manufacturer's products (某公司的)典型小产品，小玩意儿
Phrases and Expressions
be indicative of
be a clear sign that a particular situation exists or that something is likely to be true 表示或暗示某事物
e.g. Resumption (恢复) of the talks is indicative of an improving relationship between the countries.
listen in on
listen to someone's conversation without them knowing it 偷听，窃听
e.g. I) I wish Dad would stop listening in on my phone conversations with my friends.
II) I think the police have been listening in on my phone calls.
spy on
watch someone secretly 暗中监视，窥探
e.g. I) He can spy on his neighbors through this window without being seen.
II) She was recruited to spy on the research program of a rival company.
III) For years the satellite spied on secret weapon bases.
stem the tide of
stop something from spreading or developing 制止，遏止
e.g. I) The public apology was intended to stem the tide of complaints from viewers.
II) The manager said that he had no doubt that the team would soon stem the tide of defeat.
PASSAGE III Lost in the E-mail[1]
Charles Wang has been to e-mail hell, and returned to tell the tale.[2] His journey[3] there began innocently enough when, as chairman of Computer Associates International, a software company, he first heard how quickly his employees had embraced their new electronic-mail system. They were sending messages to one another like crazy. "I said, 'Wonderful,'" recalls Wang. "And I also said, 'Let's check into how people are using it.'"
But instead of a pleasant e-mail culture, what had evolved was a behavioral nightmare. "It was a disaster," he says. "My managers were getting 200 to 300 e-mails a day each. People were so fond of it they weren't talking to each other. They were hibernating[4], e-mailing people in the next room. They were abusing it." In just a few years, Wang's high-tech communications system had gone crazy.
To stop the insanity, Wang short-circuited the system, taking the astonishing step-considering what his $3.9 billion company does for a living-of banning all e-mails from 9:30 a.m. to 12 noon and from 1:30 p.m. to 4 p.m.[5] These hours are now rigidly observed as a sort of electronic quiet time[6]. Says Wang: "It worked wonderfully. People are walking the corridors again talking to other people."
So much for the e-mail revolution, which is now enslaving all those employees it was supposed to free, creating communication problems so new that they cannot be found in the pages of any management textbook.[7] E-mail has corrupted corporate cultures and created bosses who turn e-mail into a terror weapon to subdue underlings and undermine rivals.[8] E-mail has wasted years of executive time and gigabytes of computer memory[9] looking for lost keys.
And the volume of traffic[10] is still exploding[11]. In 1994, for example, 776 billion e-mail messages moved through U.S.-based computer networks. As of 1997 that number is expected to more than triple[12], to 2.6 trillion. By the year 2000, the number will nearly triple again, to 6.6 trillion. Forty percent of the American workforce uses e-mail.
So why are people saying such bad things about these computer-borne[13] text messages? Almost everyone agrees that e-mail is a wonderful invention. It is a convenient, highly democratic, informal medium for conveying messages that conforms well to human needs. E-mail is perhaps the ideal means by which one can run a global project. "It is one of the great innovations of the last 20 years," says Paul Argenti, a professor of management communications at Dartmouth's Tuck School. But Argenti and others also say it is a medium whose function is confusing, in part because the process is so easy and informal that people treat it as they do conversation. But informal as it may be, e-mail is writing and constitutes a permanent record. And because so much of human conversation is nonverbal, e-mail messages, especially critical or complex ones, can easily be misinterpreted.[14]
That is especially true if the originator of the message is the "virtual manager[15]". The virtual manager generally is a conflict-avoiding character who hides behind e-mail and uses it as an instrument of aggression, creating not only ill will[16] but inefficiencies as well. "I cannot tell you how many people we've encountered hiding behind e-mail," says Emory Mulling, a onsultant who is often brought in to help virtual managers change their ways. According to him, there are a lot of managers who do not like conflict, so they criticize their employees by e-mail, and often do more harm than good. In Mulling's opinion, e-mail is perfect for managers who would rather do anything other than walk down the hall[17].
Here is the sort of message, written with little thought as to how it will be read, that illustrates both the one-way nature of e-mail (the recipient can't immediately defend himself) and the dangers inherent in offering criticism in an electronic message18]:
You MUST MUST make your report titles more descriptive. If I can't understand what the report is about, how will our clients? You are evaluated on your ability to communicate clearly as much as you are on any other part of your performances.[19]
By the time this message gets through the system, the sender has moved on to his next message. Meanwhile, the recipient stares at his screen as if the office had been struck by lightning.[20] Here's how the recipient reads it: MUST MUST means "you are an idiot"; evaluated, "soon to be fired"[21]. "The result is that if I send you an offensive e-mail, I feel great," says Mulling. "I've gotten something off my chest. But now you have to deal with the anger. It's a way of passing on anger." Another consequence is that the recipient, not knowing how to respond, may simply brood about it. "I've seen people upset for a week because of one thoughtless e-mail," says Monte Gibbs, 28, who has worked for IBM for several years.
In an era in which upper-level managers strive to push decision-making down the chain, e-mail has made it easier for middle managers to avoid responsibility by pushing decisions up the ladder[22]. A worker who would shy away from seeking an appointment with the boss to resolve an issue often sends a "What do you think?" message on the most trivial of matters.[23]
In many cases, there has been strong reaction against e-mail. "People became so overloaded they stopped using it," says Silicon Valley consultant Anita Rosen about the e-mail system at computer-software-maker Oracle, where she worked for years. "Out of 300 e-mails, 80% were ccs[24]. So maybe all you actually need to know are 40 e-mails a day, or an hour's work." At the White House, the e-mail system is so overloaded that many senior staff members refuse to use it.
Sure, there are people like Bill Gates, who love to respond to several hundred of the e-mails sent to him daily. Monte Gibbs, however, does not appreciate having to deal with e-mails on his system until one in the morning. "I have been at the company two months and received 6,500 e-mails," he sighs.
There is no doubt that e-mail is abused and overused. There is an urgent need so for traffic laws because what was once a wonderfully pleasant and speedy means of communication has now turned into an absurdly overcrowded system. To avoid sending the wrong message, there are four basic rules to obey: Never discuss bad news, never criticize and never discuss personnel issues over e-mail, and if there is anything ambiguous, walk down the hall to discuss it in person or pick up the phone.
"Think before you write," says Argenti. "The most important thing to know is what not to write." For American companies trying hard to keep pace with the e-mail revolution, that advice may be the best message of all. Cc it to everyone. (1130 words)
Proper Names
Anita Rosen
（女子名）阿妮塔.罗森
Bill Gates
(男子名) 比尔.盖茨
Computer Associates International
国际计算机股份有限公司，美国500家最大的企业之一
Dartmouth's Tuck School
Dartmouth College 下属的 The Amos Tuck School of Business Administration
Emory Mulling
(男子名)埃默里.马林
Monte Gibbs
(男子名)蒙特.吉布斯
Oracle
美国一家计算机软件制造公司[oracle原意为（古希腊的）神示所]
Paul Argenti
(男子名) 保罗.阿根提
Silicon Valley
硅谷（旧金山东南圣克拉拉谷的别称，美国主要微电子公司集中于此。因微电子工业的材料主要是硅片， 故名。）
New Words
ambiguous
adj. having more than one meaning or interpretation 引起歧义的，模棱两可的
e.g. I) The document's ambiguous wording makes it very difficult to follow.
II) I don't know how to interpret her remark. I think it was deliberately ambiguous.
III) The government has been ambiguous on this issue.
conform
v. be in harmony or accord, act in the same way as others do一致，符合，相似
e.g. I) The new furniture does not conform to the design of the new room.
II) Many of those students walk, talk, and dress alike; they conform to each other rather than picking an individual style.
corridor
n. a long passage in a building or train, especially with rooms on either side 走廊
e.g. John ran down the corridor because he was late for the meeting.
descriptive *
adj. describing something in detail描述详细生动的
e.g. The report was so descriptive that I felt as if I were there.
e-mail
n. (abbreviation for electronic mail) a system for sending messages via telecommunications links between computers or a message sent in this way 电子信函，电子邮件
e.g. I) Do you think that I could have received a virus via e-mail?
II) Mary sent me an e-mail about our dinner plans for the evening.
v. send a letter, note or other document electronically 发电子邮件
e.g. Will you e-mail me about it?
enslave
v. make someone a slave, trap someone in a situation that they cannot easily escape from 使......做奴隶，使处于奴役的状态
gigabyte
n. （technical） a billion bytes (of computer memory) 千兆个字节
hibernate
v. sleep through the winter 冬眠
inefficiency *
n. an instance of lack of efficiency 无效率事例
e.g. There are many inefficiencies in the way that office is run.
inherent
adj. being a natural part of something 内在的，固有的
e.g. I) An inherent danger from smoking tobacco is the development of lung cancer.
II) However, this theory does not reflect the complexities inherent in real life.
lightning
n. a powerful flash of light in the sky caused by electricity and usually followed by thunder 闪电
e.g. Lightning struck a tree, and it fell in an instant.
misinterpret *
v. misunderstand what someone means or says 误解
e.g. I) I misinterpreted Jane's reply because I didn't listen carefully.
II) When we re-examined the regulations we realized that we had misinterpreted them.
nonverbal
adj. not using words 不使用语言的
originator *
n. the person who first thinks of something and causes it to happen 创始人，发起人
e.g. The originator of the idea was a young professor.
overcrowded *
adj. containing too many people or things 过度拥挤的
e.g. I) Passengers started to faint on the hot, overcrowded bus.
II) The world market for telecommunications is already overcrowded with businesses.
overload *
v. (past participle overloaded or overloaden) load someone or something with too many things 使超载，使过载
e.g. I) The donkey was so overloaded, it could hardly climb the hill.
II) I overloaded my schedule with too many classes.
III) The market is already overloaded with car magazines-why would anyone want to produce another one?
overuse *
v. use too much 过多使用，过度使用
e.g. An overused expression is called a cliché.
short-circuit
v.
1) prevent something from operating 使......不工作
2) cause an electrical circuit to be completed before the electricity has flowed all the way through its intended circuit 使短路
speedy *
adj. happening or done quickly 快的，迅速的
e.g. They will be capable of speedier, more accurate diagnoses.
strive
v. (strove, striven) (formal) make a great effort to achieve something 努力，奋斗，力争，力求
e.g. I) The poor family strove to pay the rent each month.
II) The history of train transport has partly been a history of striving for greater efficiency.
subdue
v. bring someone or something under one's control 制服，使顺从
thoughtless *
adj. doing something without thinking, not caring about someone's feelings 欠考虑的，轻率的
e.g. I) It was thoughtless of you not to invite Mary to lunch.
II) A few thoughtless people have spoiled the holiday for everyone else.
trillion
n. (AmE) one million million 一万亿，兆
underling
n. (derogatory) someone who has a low rank 职位低的人，下属
volume
n. the total amount of something, especially when it is large or increasing 数量，总额
e.g. I) I have a considerable volume of work waiting for me at the office.
II) The volume of retail sales increased by 6.4 % in Britain in the year to October.
Phrases and Expressions
as of/from
starting from 自......起?
e.g. I) As of next month, all the airline's fares will be going up.
II) I'll be retired as from the end of August.
bring someone in
allow or invite someone to become involved in a discussion, investigation, etc. 请来，让参加
e.g. I) The council greatly angered small shopkeepers by not bringing them in on the development of the city center.
II) The Japanese technicians were brought in because of their expertise in electronics.
conform to
be in harmony with or accord with 符合
e.g. Such a change would not conform to the present wishes of the great majority of people.
get something off one's chest
tell something that has been bothering oneself 倾吐胸中的烦恼等
e.g. I) I have to get this off my chest. I broke your window with a stone.
II) Writing to you is a good way to get things off my chest.
in part
to some degree, but not completely, partly 在某种程度上，部分地
e.g. I) The improvement was brought about in part by the Trade Union Movement.
II) Although bad management was the major factor, the firm's problems were due in part to a fall-off (减少) in demand.
keep pace with
move or change as fas someone or something else 跟上
e.g. I) Could you slow down a bit-I can't keep pace with you.
II) He finds it hard to keep pace with all the developments in nuclear physics.
shy away from
avoid (something) because of dislike, fear, or lack of confidence （因害羞、恐惧等）避免或逃避（某事）
e.g. I) The girl shied away from looking the strange man in the eye.
II) I've never shied away from hard work.
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