A concept car developed by Japanese company Nissan1 has a breathalyzer-like detection system and other instruments that could help keep drunk or over-tired drivers off the road. The car’s sensors check odors inside the car and monitor a driver’s sweat for traces of alcohol. An in-car computer system can issue an alert or even lock up the ignition system if the driver seems over-the-limit. The air odor sensors arc fixed firmly and deeply in the driver and passenger seats, while a detector in the gear-shift knob measures perspiration from the driver’s palm.

Other carmakers have developed similar detection system. For example, Sweden’s Volvo2 has developed a breathalyzer attached to car’s seat belt that drivers must blow into before the engine will start.

Nissan’s new concept vehicle also includes a dashboard-mounted camera that tracks a drivers alertness by monitoring their eyes. It will sound an alarm and issue a spoken warning in Japanese or English if it judges that the driver needs to pull over and rest3.

The car technology is still in development, but general manager Kazuhiro Doi says the combination of different detection system should improve the overall effectiveness of the technology. “For example, if t he gear-shift sensor was bypassed by a passenger using it instead of the driver. the facial recognition system would still be used,” Doi says. Nissan has no specific timetable for marketing the system, but aims to use technology to cut the numher of fatalities involving its vehicles to half 1995 levels by 2015.

The car’s seat helt can also tighten if drowsiness is detected, while an external camera checks that the car is keeping to its lane properly. However, Doi admits that some of the technology, such as the alcohol odor sensor, should be improved. “If you drink one beer, it’s going to register, so we need to study what’s the appropriate level for the system to activate,” he says.

In the UK4, some research groups are using similar advanced techniques to understand driver behavior and the effectiveness of different road designs.

詞匯: breathalyzer /5breWElaizE/n. 呼氣酒精檢測(cè)器 gear-shift knob換檔把手 sensor /5sensE/n. 傳感器 bypass /5baIpB:s/v.繞過(guò) alert /E5lE:t/adj.警惕的 facial /5feiFEl/adj.面部的 alertness / E5lE:tniz/n.警報(bào) fatality /fE5tAliti/n.死亡事故 dashboard /5dAF7bC:d/n.儀表板，擋泥板 tighten /5taitEn/v.綁緊 perspiration /7pE:spE5reiFEn/n.排汗 drowsiness /5drauziniz/n.昏昏欲睡 odor /5EudE/n.氣味 activate /5Aktiveit/v.使活動(dòng)、使激活ignition /i^5niFEn/n.點(diǎn)火 注釋:

Japanese company Nissan日本日產(chǎn)公司

Sweden’s Volvo:瑞典的沃爾沃公司 pull over and rest: (把車)開到路邊休息

UK:大不列顛和北愛爾蘭聯(lián)合王國(guó) (United Kingdom)的縮寫。United Kingdom的縮寫: 聯(lián)合王國(guó) .英國(guó)。練習(xí):

1. Which of the following statements is NOT true of the Japanese concept car? A It has a sensor system that could issue a warning if the driver is drunk. B It has sensors that detect traces of alcohol inside the car. C It has sensors locked up in the ignition system. D It has a breathalyzer-like detection system.

2. What has Volvo developed? A The same detection system mentioned in t he previous paragraph. B A breathalyzer attached to a car’s seat belt. C A smart car scat belt. D An intelligent engine.

3. What is the function of the camera mentioned in Paragraph 4？ A It monitors the driver’s eyes to sec if he needs a rest. B It judges if the driver wants to pull over. C It judges if the driver wants to take a rest. D It issues an alarm when the driver speaks.

4. According to Doi, A the overall effectiveness of the detection technology has improved. B Nissan is making a timetable to market the detection system. C it is impossible to improve the overall effectiveness of the detection system. D Nissan aims to improve the detection technology to reduce the fatality rate.

30

5. Which of the following is NOT mentioned in Paragraph 6? A An external camera checks that the car is going properly. B The car will automatically keep to its lane. C The seat belt will tighten when the driver is found drowsy. D The technology of the alcohol odor sensor should be improved.

答案與題解 :

1. C 選項(xiàng) A、B、D所述內(nèi)容都可在短文的第一、第二段中找到。第二段昀后一個(gè)句子告訴我們，傳感器裝在司機(jī)和乘客的座椅里，而不是在點(diǎn)火系統(tǒng)里，所以選擇 C。

2. B 短文第三段告訴我們，沃爾沃公司也發(fā)明了一種相類似的酒精檢測(cè)裝置，安裝在保險(xiǎn)帶上，所以 B是正確選擇。

3. A 第四段描寫了安裝在概念車儀表板上的照相機(jī)的功能。相機(jī)跟蹤司機(jī)的眼睛的活動(dòng)，從而監(jiān)測(cè)司機(jī)是否保持清醒狀態(tài)，如果發(fā)現(xiàn)司機(jī)需要停車休息，使用英語(yǔ)或日語(yǔ)發(fā)出警告。所以除 A以外，其他選擇都不正確。

4. D 短文第五段說(shuō)，這種監(jiān)測(cè)技術(shù)仍然在發(fā)展之中，使用不同的監(jiān)測(cè)系統(tǒng)應(yīng)能改進(jìn)這項(xiàng)技術(shù)的整體有效性，所以 A和 C都不是正確選擇。該段的統(tǒng)后一句說(shuō)，日產(chǎn)公司并不準(zhǔn)備將這種監(jiān)測(cè)系統(tǒng)推向市場(chǎng)，但它的目標(biāo)是使用這種技術(shù)到 2015年將日產(chǎn)車的事故率年減少到 1995年的一半。所以 B也不是正確選擇，只有 D表達(dá)了 Doi的意思。

5. B選項(xiàng) A、C、D在短文第六段部能戰(zhàn)到，但是卻找不到選項(xiàng) B所表達(dá)的意思。