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UNIT 10
Text A
PRE-READING TASK
Exercise 1
Before reading the passage, think over the questions.
1. Computers have become more and more a part of our daily life. Name some of the specific jobs and activities that involve computer use.
2. What else do you think the computers can do for us if a multimedia function is built in?
Now compare your answers with your neighbours'.
Take a Multimedia Course, Ms Smith
1 What's good for the manager is good for the secretary, too. Until very recently, multimedia training had been for managers only. Now it is being introduced as a stimulating learning package for the person at the centre of office life, the secretary.
2 The secretary is also, of course, at the centre of huge changes in the workplace: flattening hierarchies form the background to her own much-altered role, whether she is a secretary or PA, clerk or administrative worker. Call her what you will; for the purpose of multimedia training, her title is office professional -- the person at the centre of a busy team, who probably has a better rapport with the technology than anyone else.
3 "The Office Professional" is also the title of her multimedia training package. It has been designed to widen her understanding of her changing, rapidly expanding job, with its opportunities and responsibilities and its need to communicate, develop and delegate.
4 Multimedia comprises text, graphics, sound and pictures. It is a highly interactive form of training: the computer and office professional work together, asking each other questions, and this gives the learner the know-how and confidence to handle a range of real-life situations.
5 The Office Professional, launched last spring, allows the secretary to learn at her own pace. Far from simply following text, the secretary plays an active part: she must be responsive, answer multiple-choice questions and explore with her computer the consequences of whatever actions she proposes to take.
6 Moving pictures create realistic examples, enabling her to observe how, for example, to set priorities and meet deadlines. She will have a program book, or work book, in which to make notes to refer to later, or can take notes on the screen.
7 Secretaries usually come last in the queue for training. From her company's point of view, the clear advantage of multimedia is that a large number of people can be trained economically. There are virtually no overheads, and because the program is consistent, all staff who use it can achieve an understanding of what good office administration involves.
8 Already, some banks, building societies and retailers are using The Office Professional. Larger ones, which may have hundreds of branches, are setting up learning centres containing anything from a couple of computers to a dozen. The secretary can contact the centre to book an hour's study, or use a computerized diary to book a training session. Alternatively, she can learn on her own computer.
9 The program requires a computer capable of running dual-speed CD-ROM. The price of these has dropped to between ￡1 000 and ￡1 500 -- within easy reach of most businesses.
10 The Office Professional has been developed by Echelon, the open learning division of Hill Tallack, human resource consultants, of Ealing, west London, and Peritas, of Windsor, Berkshire.
11 Peritas is the multimedia software subsidiary of International Computers. Echelon prepared the script, with the idea of developing it and putting it on a CD-ROM as a learning project. The package, the first in the Changemaster series, will be followed by two programs for managers.
12 The Office Professional costs ￡995, which compares favourably with the cost of sending staff on training courses, and avoids the disruption to office life when they are away for a day or longer.
13 The program consists of an introduction, which includes self-analysis and an examination of training needs, and three modules -- Working Professionally, In Partnership and Broadening Horizons. The first deals with planning work, performing it effectively and growing more efficient.
14 In Partnership examines working with a team and with customers, colleagues and managers. Broadening Horizon concentrates on ways of getting and taking responsibility -- for example, handling meetings, controlling groups, developing projects and delegating.
15 David Hill, a partner in Echelon, says, "When learning is made exciting, it is more easily retained. The whole focus of The Office Professional is on self-development. And secretaries are the most PC compatible and aware of anyone in the office."
New Words
multimedia
a. 多媒体的
Ms
n. 女士（用在婚姻状况不明或不愿提及自己的婚姻状况的女子的姓或姓名之前）
manager
n. a person who controls a business 经理
flatten
v. 1. 使不活跃，使无精打采
2. to make or become flat 弄平
hierarchy
n. the organization of a system into higher and lower ranks 等级制度，等级体系
background
n. the conditions existing when something happens 背景，前景情况
alter
v. to make or become different, but without changing into something else 改变，变化
much-altered
a. 多变的，多种的
PA
n. (personal assistant 的缩略语)私人助理
clerk
n. a person employed in an office 职员
professional n. someone who does his work skillfully 内行，专家
a. working in one of the (higher) professions 职业的
rapport
n. close agreement and understanding 融洽，理解
widen
v. to make wide or wider 加深，拓宽
delegate
v. to give (part of one's power, rights, etc.) for a certain time 授权，委托职责
comprise
v. to consist of; include 由…组成，包括
graphics
n. 1. 图形显示
2. 制图学，图（示）学
interactive
a. （指计算机）交互的，人机对话的
know-how
n. practical ability or skill 实际知识，技能
responsive
a. reacting to 应答的，响应的
multiple
a. including many different parts 多个的，由多个组成的
multiple-choice
a. 多项选择的
priority
n. the state, right, etc. of being first in position 优先，优先权
deadline
n. a date or time before which something must be done 最后期限
overheads
n. money spent regularly to keep a business running 经常费用，管理费用
achieve
v. 1. to get or gain 获得，达到
2. to finish successfully 完成
administration
n. 管理
retailer
n. 零售商，零售店
dozen
n. a group of 12 一打，十二个
dual-speed
a. 双倍速的
CD-ROM
(compact disc read-only memory 的缩略语) (信息容量极大的)光盘只读存储器
division
n. 1. a department in a large organization 部门，（机关的）科、处
2. 区域
3. 分，分开
software
n. 软件
subsidiary
n. a company controlled by a larger one 子公司
script
n. 1. 原语言程序
2. 手稿
disruption
n. 混乱，中断
introduction
n. 1. the act of introducing 介绍 2. 序言，导论
module
n. 模块
partnership
n. the state of being a partner 伙伴关系，合作关系
broaden
v. to become broad or broader 使扩大
horizon
n. 1. the limit of one's thoughts 眼界，见识
2. 地平（线）
PC
n. personal computer 个人计算机
compatible
a. able to be used together or with (another thing)兼容的
Phrases and Expressions
at one's own pace
以轻松自在的速度
refer to
参考
drop to
下降到
within reach of
在…得到的地方，在…达到的地方，在…附近
Proper Names
Echelon
埃切隆
Hill Tallack
希尔塔拉克
Ealing
伊灵
Peritas
佩里塔斯
Windsor
温莎
Berkshire
伯克郡（英国英格兰南部郡名）
David Hill
戴维.希尔（人名）
Text B
PRE-READING TASK
Exercise 1
The passage you are going to read is entitled "Future Cars". Before reading, guess which of the things may be dealt with in the passage.
1. The kind of persons who drive the future cars.
2. The convenience and comfort brought by the future cars.
3. The simplicity and multi-functions of the future cars.
4. The air and noise pollution caused by the future cars.
Now read the passage to check your answer.
Future Cars
1 Still busy with the toast and marmalade, the motorists of the 21st century is already prepared for the day's drive. From the breakfast table a remote control device has opened the garage door, unlocked the car and set the air-conditioning: a split-level system, giving cool air to the face and warmth to the feet, with prechosen temperatures.
2 Our driver lives in Hastings and has a business call in Northampton. There is no need to look closely at a battered old road atlas to work out a route. A video disc is on hand to slot into the fascia and provide step-by-step instructions, either on a screen, or by voice, or both. Arguments about whether we should have turned left at the traffic lights when we went right will be no more.
3 The disc stores enough information to offer a choice of routes and to print out maps, of regions, or towns or individual streets. During the journey the car radio will be automatically interrupted with the latest news of traffic hazards -- fog, roadworks, accidents. If necessary, the disc can be called upon to suggest another way round.
4 The car's fascia will be simpler than it is now, but capable of yielding more complex information. Before setting off, a button is pushed to give a visual check list of the health of the components -- brakes, lights, tyres, batteries.
5 Speed limits will surely still be with us in the next century. The old-fashioned speedo will have given way to a head-up display reflected at the foot of the windscreen: no need to take one's eyes off the road. We shall all be used to digits by then and instead of the analogue, a single figure will tell us whether it is time to slow down.
6 It is raining hard on the way to Northampton but the windscreen stays clear without the aid of wipers. The glass used for the screens of today has been replaced by water-repellent plastic. The rear screen will not have wipers for the same reason. All the windows will incorporate tiny heating elements that automatically activate when the temperature falls below a certain level, so that visibility is not impaired by frost or ice.
7 Much more startling to 1985 eyes is the absence of a steering wheel. Steering is no longer mechanical but electronic, requiring only a hand controller situated between the front seats. This will also have buttons to operate the accelerator and brakes. Gone, too, is the clutch: there are no gears to change.
8 The console-mounted controller overcomes the problems of driving on the other side of the road when the car goes abroad. The driver simply shifts over into the passenger seat. The fascia displays are clipped to a continuous rail and can be moved as required.
9 The eagle-eyed will spot that there are no outside door mirrors. In the cause of good aerodynamics (of which more in a moment) they have been eliminated and instead the car is equipped with a small video camera which gives the driver a complete picture of what is happening on the road behind. Door handles have also gone: doors are opened by remote control, perhaps contained in the driver's credit card.
10 Going round London on the M25 (surely it will be finished by then?) our driver suddenly remembers an urgent telephone call. Does he pull off at the next junction and find a phone box? Of course not: a push of a button and a voice asks for the number, the driver speaks it and the computer does the rest. No coins, no handset: the charge is debited automatically to the driver's account.
11 Brakes will be radar-assisted, automatically slowing the car down when it is getting too close to the vehicle in front and removing a basic cause of that late 20th-century horror, the motorway pile-up. Collisions of a less serious kind -- backing into another car while parking, clipping the edge of a narrow gateway -- can be averted by sensors which warn the driver when he is about to make contact.
New Words
toast
n. bread made brown by heating 烤面包
marmalade
n. jam 果酱
remote
a. 1. 远程的，遥控的
2. distant in space or time 遥远的
garage
n. a building in which motor vehicles can be kept 汽车库
air-conditioning
n. 空调设备
a. 有空调的
split
v. to divide into separate parts 分割，分开
split-level
a. 错层式的
atlas
n. a book of maps 地图册
route
n. a way planned or followed from one place to another 路线，道路
disc
n. 圆盘，磁盘
slot
v. 嵌入，把…放入狭缝
fascian. （汽车的）仪表板
interrupt
v. to break in 中断，打断
hazard
n. a danger 危险，危害物
fog
n. 雾
roadworks
n. road repairs being carried out 道路施工
yield
v. to give; produce 产生，带来
visual
a. 1. 看得见的
2. connected with seeing 视觉的
component
n. any of the parts that are needed for a whole 部件，零件
tyre
n. 轮胎
fashion
n. 时尚
old-fashioned
n. 过时的，老式的
speedo
a. 速率计
head-up
a. （飞机、车辆等中的仪表读数）由平视显示器显示的
windscreen
n. the piece of glass across the front of a car （汽车前部的）挡风玻璃
analogue
n. something that is like 类似情况，相似物
wiper
n. 挡风玻璃自动清洁器
water-repellent
a. 抗水的，防水的
rear
a. 后部的，背部的
n. the back 后部，背部
incorporate
v. to make (something) a part of a group 包含，吸收
activate
v. to bring into use 使开始起作用
visible
a. that can be seen 看得见的，可见的
visibility
n. the degree of clearness能见度，可见度
impair
v. to spoil or weaken 削弱，损伤
frost
n. 霜
absencen. non-existence; lack 缺乏，不存在
situate
v. 使位于
acceleratev. to cause to move faster 使增速
accelerator
n. 1. （汽车等的）油门
2. 加速器
clutch
n. （汽车，机器等的）离合器
gear
n. （排）档
clip
v. 扣住，夹住
continuousa. unbroken 接连不断的，不断延伸的
rail
n. a fixed bar to hang things on 横杆
eagle
n. 鹰
eagle-eyed
a. 1. having very good eyesight 目光锐利的
2. looking very keenly 观察敏锐的
aerodynamics
n. 空气动力学
camera
n. 照相机，摄像机
junction
n. a place of joining, meeting or uniting 交叉口，枢纽
debit
v. 记入帐户的借方
radar
n. 雷达，无线电定位装置
assist
v. to help or support 帮助，协助
horror
n. 1. something that causes a feeling of fear 恐怖性，惨状
2. a feeling of fear 害怕，恐惧
pile-up
n. a traffic accident in which a number of vehicles crash into each other 多车相撞
collision
n. 碰撞，碰撞事件
gateway
n. an opening with a gate 出入口，通道
avert
v. to avoid or prevent happening 防止，避免
sensor
n. 传感器
Phrases and Expressions
be prepared for
准备，有准备
on hand
在手头，在近处
no more
不复存在，不再
call upon
要求
set off
出发，启程
give way to
让位于，被…替代，对…让步
slow down
减速
in the cause of
为了，支持
pull off
（车等）驶离道路进入停车处
in front
在前面
Proper Names
Hastings
黑斯廷斯（英国英格兰东南部城市）
Northampton
北安普敦（英国英格兰中部城市）
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