高三英语培优外刊阅读学案:科技泡沫话题

高三英语培优外刊阅读

班级：____________学号：____________姓名：____________

外刊精选｜疯狂造富的美国科技股，泡沫危机将至？

近年来，Google和字节跳动等科技公司在商业领域的地位愈发重要，也因此有众多创业者在科技领域发力。近10年来，美国科技公司的融资规模不断上涨，最高峰时一个月融资358亿美元。但最近，这一指标有所回落。这是否意味着美国科技股存在大量泡沫？这个行业的未来走向如何？

The Tech Bubble That Never Burst

By Erin Griffith and Taylor Johnston

The venture capitalists are sounding the alarm. At posh conferences, they buzz about falling

valuations for start-ups. On CNBC, they bemoan the sudden lack of initial public offerings. On

Twitter, they warn of a coming downturn.

It is a familiar refrain. For the past decade, such warnings have cropped up repeatedly in

start-up land. Yet every time, more money has flooded into start-ups. Instead of a collapse, things

got bubblier.

Today's warnings are different from those of the last decade. Investors tiptoe around the word

"bubble," referring instead to a "recalibration," a "pullback" or even a gentle "softening." The

people who once called for caution grew tired of being wrong, and their audiences became numb

to the warnings. Every time the alarm bells rang, more money poured into start-ups.

Some investors believe market euphorias are a good — even necessary — thing for progress.

Sure, most of the people who flock to a bubble are in it for the money. And yes, things can get

messy. But underneath, it’s all moving forward.

Even as the biggest factor driving investors to high-growth start-ups over the last decade —

low interest rates — begin to change, even as economists worry about an impending recession and

even as start-ups lower their valuations or suddenly run out of cash, few today are predicting a

total collapse.

A decade of talking about a bubble that never burst will do that.

【词汇过关】

请写出下面文单词在文章中的中文意思。

[bɜːst] v. _______________________

[pɒʃ] adj. _______________________

ion [ˌvæljuˈeɪʃn] n. _______________________

[bɪˈməʊn] v. _______________________

rn [ˈdaʊntɜːn] n. _______________________

n [rɪˈfreɪn] n._______________________；v. _______________________

[flʌd] v. _______________________；n._______________________

se [kəˈlæps] n. _______________________

[ˈbʌbli] adj. _______________________

[ˈtɪptəʊ] ）v. _______________________；n. _______________________

ia [juːˈfɔːriə] n. _______________________

[ʃɔːr] adv. _______________________

eath [ˌʌndəˈniːθ] adv./prep. _______________________

ing [ɪmˈpendɪŋ] adj. _______________________

【词块学习】

请从文章中找到下面中文相对应的文词块。

1.科技泡沫____________________________________________

2.风险投资人____________________________________________

3.敲响警钟____________________________________________

4.叽叽喳喳地讨论，议论纷纷____________________________________________

5.针对某事发出警告____________________________________________

6.意外发生，突然出现____________________________________________

7.对......失去感觉的，麻木的____________________________________________

8.大量流入或注入____________________________________________

9.成群地或大批地涌向、涌入到......____________________________________________

10.参与......是为了......____________________________________________

拓展练习

阅读理解

The year of 2020 was almost entirely dominated by the coronavirus pandemic, and its effects

have not only changed life on Earth but our digital lives as well. What are the technological trends

that will continue into and through 2021? Let’s take a look.

Quantum computing

Like its name suggests, quantum computing is based on the principles of quantum theory,

which explains the behavior of matter and energy at the atomic and subatomic levels.

Different from classical computers, which store and process data as either ones or zeros,

quantum computers use something called quantum bits-or qubits. Qubits allow information to be

stored in more than one state, so it can be both one and zero at the same time.

Therefore, quantum computers can handle complex operations at speeds much faster than

traditional computers without needing as much energy. Quantum computers have proven to be

especially helpful during the pandemic For instance, they were used to search for potential

vaccines and find other therapies to help affected people. Its potential will be explored more in

2021.

Working from home

There’s no real going back to normal “Gerard Grech, CEO of networking company Tech

Nation, told Wired magazine. The pandemic has given us an opportunity to rethink how we work

and why.

After working from home for much of 2020, some companies noticed an increase in

productivity when their employees worked remotely. Not only that, but providing this option canal

so help cut down operating costs for companies.

This is great news for workers, too, as many people have wanted more flexibility with their

work arrangements for quite sometime. More hybrid workspaces with work from home options

will thrive this year.

Cybersecurity

Cybersecurity has recently become more important because people are more dependent on

working online- to name one of the main reasons.

In fact, according to Forbes, hackers took advantage of the pandemic and ramped up cyber

attacks worldwide. In just the first four months of 2020. alone, attacks on banks increased 238

percent and cloud servers by 600 percent.

One solution is the cybersecurity mesh. This method puts a security barrier around each

individual instead of around the company or organization. You can think of the cybersecurity mesh

as each person being in their cybersecurity bubble instead of everyone staying in a walled city.

Going into 2021 and beyond, cybersecurity will become crucial a sour world becomes even

more digitalized and interconnected.

makes quantum computers faster than traditional ones?

way they store data. number of bits they use.

common materials they use. diversity of data they can store.

which of the following would Gerard Grech most likely agree?

working should be reconsidered.

pandemic has given new insight into our routines.

must adapt to new situations more quickly.

damage caused by the pandemic can not be undone.

can we learn about cybersecurity mesh?

was developed by hackers during the pandemic. ensures cybersecurity like a walled

city.

can defend individuals against cyber attacks. provides a secure online trading platform.

外刊精选答案

【词汇过关】

请写出下面文单词在文章中的中文意思。

[bɜːst] v. 破裂

[pɒʃ] adj. 优雅的，豪华的，上流社会的

ion [ˌvæljuˈeɪʃn] n. 估值

[bɪˈməʊn] v. 惋惜，埋怨，哀怨，悲叹

rn [ˈdaʊntɜːn] n. 衰退

n [rɪˈfreɪn] n. 经常重复的评价老生常谈；v. 避免，忍住，节制

[flʌd] （本文）v. 大量涌入，蜂拥而至，挤满，充斥；n. 洪水

se [kəˈlæps] n. 崩溃，垮掉，失败，崩盘

[ˈbʌbli] adj. 起泡的，多泡的

[ˈtɪptəʊ] ）v. 小心翼翼地，蹑手蹑脚地；n. 脚尖

ia [juːˈfɔːriə] n. 异常兴奋，狂喜，亢奋

[ʃɔːr] adv. 的确，当然，诚然

eath [ˌʌndəˈniːθ] adv./prep. 在表象之下

ing [ɪmˈpendɪŋ] adj. 即将发生的，逼近的，迫在眉睫的

【词块学习】

请从文章中找到下面中文相对应的文词块。

bubble科技泡沫

e capitalist风险投资人

the alarm敲响警钟

about something叽叽喳喳地讨论，议论纷纷

of something针对某事发出警告

up意外发生，突然出现

numb to something对......失去感觉的，麻木的

into大量流入或注入

to成群地或大批地涌向、涌入到......

in it for something参与......是为了......

【全文翻译】

从未破裂的科技股泡沫

风险投资人们正在敲响警钟。在高端会议上，他们对初创企业估值的下降议论纷纷；在美国全国广播公司财经频道上，他们对首次公开募股的骤然减少叹息连连；在推特上，他们警告经济衰退即将到来。

这都是老调重弹。在过去十年中，这类提醒在初创企业领域一再出现。但每次，都会有更多的资金涌入初创企业。市场非但没有崩盘，泡沫反而更大了。

但如今的提醒与过去十年的并不相同。投资人们对“泡沫”一词讳莫如深，会转而使用“重新校准”、“回调”，甚至是温和的“疲软”这些词。曾经呼吁要谨慎的人已经怕了，不想又说错。而公众对他们的警告已经麻木。每次警钟敲响，就有更多的资金涌入初创企业。

一些投资人认为，市场狂热对于企业发展是一件好事，甚至是必要的。当然，大多数涌向泡沫的人都是为了钱。没错，事情可能会变得一团乱。但在这层表象之下，一切都在向前发展。

过去十年，促使投资人把钱投向高增长初创企业的最大因素是低利率。纵然这一点发生了变化，纵然经济学家们担心经济衰退迫在眉睫，纵然初创企业在降低自己的估值，或突然耗尽现金，也几乎没人预测科技股会全面崩盘。

讲科技泡沫讲了十年，却从未破裂，因此也无人再如此预测。

拓展练习阅读理解参考答案

30.A 31.B 32.C