Question

On some Swedish trains, passengers carry their e-tickets in their hands. About 3,000 Swedes have chosen to put microchips (微芯片) beneath the skin between fingers. The chips, which cost around $150, can hold personal facts, credit-card numbers and medical records. They depend on Radio Frequency ID (RFID), a technology already used in payment cards, tickets and passports.

There are 10,000 people with chip implants (植入) around the world. Sweden, home to several microchip companies, has the largest share. People can order do-it-yourself kits. And sometimes they get T-shirts that say “I got chipped”.

Jowan Österlund, the founder of BioHax, a Swedish firm, argues that chips are safer than mobile phones because it is harder to steal information from them. But some people still have worries. RFID chips do not have GPS, but they leave a trail when they are used to open doors, operate printers, etc. In 2004 a Mexican government official and his workmates had chips placed in their arms that tracked who had accessed important information.

So why take the risk? Less trouble is one reason. The equipment for microchip implants exists wherever new payments are accepted. Sweden is well suited, as the world’s second most cash-less country (after Canada).

But the chips have little use unless all companies agree to work together. Few shops recognize this chip implants yet, even those organizations that do have had some troubles in the beginning. When Swedish rail officials began scanning passengers’ microchips, they saw private information rather than evidence of ticket buying. For now the chips are used largely as business cards, keys or to store important information.

So the desire to win notice or admiration is another explanation. Chip enthusiasts want to equip human bodies with technology. Elon Musk, an American businessman has spent money on this technology that connects machines with human brains, which caused fears from some Christians.

1.What is special about the microchips mentioned in the passage?

A. They have already become part of human bodies.

B. They have offered access to personal information.

C. They have become a symbol of modern society.

D. They have used the latest technology in payment.

2.Jowan failed to consider the fact that __________.

A. the information is safer to keep on chips than phones

B. RFID chips can also have GPS as mobiles phones do

C. information on chips is likely to be accessed and let out

D. some microchips have already been equipped with GPS

3.Why are people willing to risk putting chips into their bodies?

A. Because developed countries are well prepared for chip implants.

B. Because they want to save themselves the trouble of cash payment.

C. Because they encourage more companies to recognize chip implants.

D. Because it is an attention-catching technology that makes things easier.

4.We can infer from Paragraph 5 that __________.

A. There is a long way to go before the implanted chips are widely applied.

B. Many companies take a wait-and-see attitude towards this technology.

C. The chip implants have caused difficulty for both users and companies.

D. Microchips always successfully offer information about ticket buying.

Answer

1. A

2. C

3. D

4. A

【解析】

本文为应用文。瑞典人选择在手指之间的皮肤下放置微芯片的原因是因为方便及引人注目的，但植安全性受到了质疑。芯片植入和推广遇到了初期的困难，即使已经开展芯片植入业务的公司也遭遇了一些麻烦，所以充分发挥芯片的作用有待时日。

1.细节理解题。由第一段尤其是“ About 3,000 Swedes have chosen to put microchips (微芯片) beneath the skin between fingers.”可知，本文中芯片的不同之处在于它被植入了体内，成为身体的一部分。分析选项，可知选A。

2.推理判断题。由第三段“Jowan …, argues that chips are safer than mobile phones because it is harder to steal information from them. But some people still have worries. RFID chips do not have GPS, but they leave a trail when they are used to open doors, operate printers, etc. In 2004 a Mexican government official and his workmates had chips placed in their arms that tracked who had accessed important information.”可知，Jowan_认为，芯片比手机更安全，因为很难从中窃取信息。但有些人还是有忧虑。射频识别芯片没有GPS，但当它们被用来开门、操作打印机等时会留下痕迹。由此推断出Jowan的观点遭到了质疑，植入的芯片并不比手机更加安全，文章举例说明各种交互活动都会被记录和发现。故选C。

3.细节理解题。第四段中的 “Less trouble is one reason”及第六段“So the desire to win notice or admiration is another explanation”可知阐述人们冒险植入芯片的原因：省事，引人注目。分析选项，可知D项（因为它是一种引人注目的技术，使事情变得更容易）符合题意，故选D。

4.推理判断题。从第五段的“But the chips have little use unless all companies agree to work together. Few shops recognize this chip implants yet, even those organizations that do have had some troubles in the beginning”可以看出，芯片植入和推广遇到了初期的困难，即使已经开展芯片植入业务的公司也遭遇了一些麻烦，所以充分发挥芯片的作用有待时日。分析选项可知选A。