Speeding off in a stolen car, the thief thinks he has got a great catch. But he is in for an unwelcome surprise. The car is fitted with a remote immobilizer (发动机防盗系统), and a radio signal from a control centre miles away will ensure that once the thief switches the engine off, he will not be able to start it again.
The idea goes like this. A control box fitted to the car contains a mini-cellphone, a micro-processor and memory, and a GPS satellite positioning receiver. If the car is stolen, a coded cellphone signal will tell the control centre to block the vehicle’s engine management system and prevent the engine being restarted.
In the UK, a set of technical fixes is already making life harder for car thieves. “The pattern of vehicle crime has changed,” says Martyn Randall, a security expert. He says it would only take him a few minutes to teach a person how to steal a car, using a bare minimum of tools, but only if the car is more than ten years old. Modern cars are far tougher to steal, as their engine management computer won’t allow them to start unless they receive a unique ID code beamed out by the ignition key (汽车等的点火开关).
In the UK, technologies like this have helped achieve a 31% drop in vehicle-related crime since 1997. But determined criminals are still managing to find other ways to steal cars, often by getting hold of the owner’s keys .And key theft is responsible for 40% of the thefts of vehicles fitted with a tracking system. If the car travels 100 metres without the driver confirming their ID, the system will send a signal to an operations centre that it has been stolen. The hundred metres minimum avoids false alarms due to inaccuracies in the GPS signal. Staff at the centre will then contact the owner to confirm that the car really is missing, and keep police informed of the vehicle’s movements via the car’s GPS unit.
1.What’s the function of the remote immobilizer fitted to a car?
A. To allow the car to lock automatically when stolen
B. To prevent the car thief from restarting it once it stops
C. To help the police make a surprise attack on the car thief
D. To prevent car theft by sending a radio signal to the car owner
2.By saying “The pattern of vehicle crime has changed” (Lines1-2,Para.3) Martyn Randall suggests that _____.
A. Self-prepared tools are no longer enough for car theft
B. the thief has to make use of computer technology
C. it takes a longer time for the car thief to do the stealing
D. the thief has lost interest in stealing cars over 10 years old
3.What is essential in making a modern car tougher to steal?
A. A GPS satellite positioning receiver
B. A unique ID card
C. A special cellphone
D. A code ignition key
4.Why does the tracking system set a 100-metre minimum before sending an alarm to the operations centre?
A. To give the driver time to contact the operation centre
B. To allow for possible errors in the GPS system
C. To keep police informed of the car’s movements
D. To leave time for the operations centre to give an alarm
Dear son,
The day that you see me old and I am already not in good health, have patience and try to understand me.
If I get dirty when eating, if I can not dress, have patience and remember the hours I 1teaching it to you. If, when I speak to you, I 2the same things thousand and one times, do not 3me, listen to me. When you were small, I had to read to you thousand and one times the same story 4you got to sleep. When I do not want to have a 5, neither shame me nor scold me. Remember when I had to chase you with thousand excuses I 6, in order that you wanted to bathe. When you see my 7little about new technologies, give me the necessary time and do not look at me with your mocking (嘲弄) smile. I taught you 8to do so many things: to eat good, to dress well, to confront life…. When at some moment I lose the memory or the 9of our conversation, let me have the necessary time to remember, and if I cannot do it, do not become nervous, as the most important thing is not our conversation but surely to be with you and to have you 10to me.
If ever I do not want to eat, do not force me. I know well 11I need to and when not. When my 12legs do not allow me to walk, give me your 13, the same way I did when you gave your first 14. And when someday I say to you that I do not want to 15any more — that I want to rest forever, do not get angry. Someday you will understand.
Try to understand that my age is not lived but survived. Some day you will discover that, 16my mistakes, I always wanted the 17thing for you and that I tried to prepare the way for you. You must not feel sad, angry or impotent (无可奈何) for seeing me 18you. You must be next to me, try to understand me and to help me as I did it when you 19living. Help me to walk, help me to end my way with love and 20. I will pay you by a smile and by the immense love I have had always for you.
I love you, Son.
Your father
1.A. paid B. spent C. cost D. took
2.A. praise B. think C. repeat D. criticize
3.A. interrupt B. disturb C. look D. avoid
4.A. when B. after C. since D. until
5.A. rest B. word C. shower D. sleep
6.A. discovered B. invented C. noticed D. assumed
7.A. knowing B. fearing C. enjoying D. consulting
8.A. what B. when C. how D. why
9.A. news B. attitude C. material D. thread
10.A. talking B. listening C. responding D. appealing
11.A. where B. how C. that D. when
12.A. tired B. short C. long D. strong
13.A. leg B. ear C. hand D. mind
14.A. step B. pace C. laugh D. cry
15.A. talk B. live C. write D. sleep
16.A. though B. since C. while D. despite
17.A. last B. first C. best D. most
18.A. near B. behind C. below D. against
19.A. made B. started C. earned D. found
20.A. mercy B. care C. excuse D. patience
— Jack said the paper was too hard when he was asked why he failed the exam again..
— Well, _____.
A. a bad penny always turns up B. a bad workman always blames his tools
C. an early bird catches the worm D. an apple a day keeps the doctor away
— Are your parents satisfied with your performance at home?
—_____ but not exactly. They want me to do more housework.
A. Kind of B. Just the opposite C. On average D. By all means
He never hides his real opinions towards others. _____, he is a person with a frank personality.
A. In a word B. In particular C. In detail D. In other words
— Mr. Smith was really helpful when you were in financial difficulty during those years.
— Definitely. I can never appreciate his kindness _____.
A. seriously B. well C. enough D. properly
