英语听力精选进阶版 6317

Imagine having a tattoo¹ that vibrates every time you receive an SMS or another mobile phone alert.

It might sound like something out of a sci-fi film, but Nokia think the idea has a nice ring to it.

The Finnish company has filed a patent for the idea of tattooing², stamping or spraying ferromagnetic³ material on skin, which would be connected to a mobile phone.

The patent application suggests the tattoo could vibrate for any kind of alert, from a top-up to an answer phone message: "Examples of... applications may be low battery indication, received message, received call, calendar alert, change of profile, e.g. based on timing⁴, change of time zone, or any other."

The word coverage⁵ in the world of mobile phones could come to mean more that the geographical⁶ area in which you can use your mobile: what part of your body would the tattoo cover? Options suggested so far are a person's arm, abdominal⁷ area, finger or fingernail.

Getting a tattoo would no longer be an aesthetic⁸ choice as the tattoos⁹ may even be invisible. People might also get charged up about the possibility of using the tattoo as an identity check and as a password to use devices such as laptops.

But is it right to let technology invade not only our lives but also our bodies? Or do we need a wake-up call? For those who like to relax and switch off, the idea may need to be put on hold.

Quiz 测验

What idea has Nokia filed a patent for?

Nokia has filed a patent for the idea of tattoos that would vibrate when a user receives an alert on their mobile phone.

True, false or not given: The tattoo would only vibrate when a user receives a text message or phone call.

False. The tattoo would vibrate for any type of alert, from text messages to a low battery alert.

Why might the tattoos be useful for a person's online security?

It might be possible to use the tattoos to check a person's identity. For instance, a laptop might only display content when it recognises the user's tattoo.

Which phrasal verb in the article means 'to stop thinking or concentrating'?

To 'switch off'. This can be used in a negative way: The lecture was so boring that I completely switched off! Or in a positive way: I can't wait to go on holiday to forget about work and switch off.

Look at the article. Which phrasal verb means both 'to make someone wait on the telephone' and 'to stop the progress of something'?

The phrasal verb 'to put on hold'.

Glossary 词汇表

to vibrate 震动

an SMS 一条短信

an alert 提醒

a (nice) ring to something 听起来还不错

a patent 一项专利

ferromagnetic 强磁性的

a mobile phone 一部手机

a top-up 一次充值

an answer phone message 电话留言

an application 申请

low battery 低电量

profile 个人信息

coverage 覆盖面

charged up 引起担忧或紧张

a wake-up call 敲响警钟

to switch off 完全放松

to put on hold 搁置，停下了

1 tattoo   

n.纹身，(皮肤上的)刺花纹；vt.刺花纹于

参考例句：

• I've decided to get my tattoo removed.我已经决定去掉我身上的纹身。
• He had a tattoo on the back of his hand.他手背上刺有花纹。

2 tattooing   

n.刺字，文身v.刺青，文身( tattoo的现在分词 )；连续有节奏地敲击；作连续有节奏的敲击

参考例句：

• tattooing and body piercing 文身和穿体装饰
• On earth most work of the absolute shy cattle ^s skin-tattooing world! 地球上最牛的纹身绝对惊世之作！ 来自互联网

3 ferromagnetic   

adj.铁磁的, 铁磁体

参考例句：

• Materials which have magnetic properties similar to iron are ferromagnetic.具有类似于铁那样的磁性的材料就是铁磁物质。
• It is sometimes difficult to draw the line separating ferromagnetic from paramagnetic substances.严格区别铁磁性与顺磁性物质有时是很困难的。

4 timing   

n.时间安排，时间选择

参考例句：

• The timing of the meeting is not convenient.会议的时间安排不合适。
• The timing of our statement is very opportune.我们发表声明选择的时机很恰当。

5 coverage   

n.报导，保险范围，保险额，范围，覆盖

参考例句：

• There's little coverage of foreign news in the newspaper.报纸上几乎没有国外新闻报道。
• This is an insurance policy with extensive coverage.这是一项承保范围广泛的保险。

6 geographical   

adj.地理的；地区(性)的

参考例句：

• The current survey will have a wider geographical spread.当前的调查将在更广泛的地域范围內进行。
• These birds have a wide geographical distribution.这些鸟的地理分布很广。

7 abdominal   

adj.腹（部）的，下腹的；n.腹肌

参考例句：

• The abdominal aorta is normally smaller than the thoracic aorta.腹主动脉一般比胸主动脉小。
• Abdominal tissues sometimes adhere after an operation.手术之后腹部有时会出现粘连。

8 aesthetic   

adj.美学的，审美的，有美感

参考例句：

• My aesthetic standards are quite different from his.我的审美标准与他的大不相同。
• The professor advanced a new aesthetic theory.那位教授提出了新的美学理论。

9 tattoos   

n.文身( tattoo的名词复数 )；归营鼓；军队夜间表演操；连续有节奏的敲击声v.刺青，文身( tattoo的第三人称单数 )；连续有节奏地敲击；作连续有节奏的敲击

参考例句：

• His arms were covered in tattoos. 他的胳膊上刺满了花纹。
• His arms were covered in tattoos. 他的双臂刺满了纹身。 来自《简明英汉词典》