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IELTS 4.0 基础使用者 · Unit 3 Our digital lives · Focusing on culture

The story of the computer 计算机发展史（时间线 · 说明文）

原文精读 · 词汇词组 · 语法和从句分析
名词/冠词/代词/数字 动词 不定式 动名词 现在分词 形容词 副词 介词 连词 引导词 that/which

一、原文精读

1A computer is any machine that can be programmed with a set of instructions.
计算机是任何一种可以按一套指令编程的机器。
21837In Britain, the first machine with a program was designed by Charles Babbage and his student Ada Lovelace.
1837 年在英国，第一台带程序的机器由查尔斯·巴贝奇和他的学生艾达·洛夫莱斯设计。
3Charles wanted a machine to add up big numbers, but Ada realized that a computer program could do a lot more.
查尔斯想要一台能加大数字的机器，但艾达意识到计算机程序能做的远不止于此。
4She was the first computer programmer.
她是第一位计算机程序员。
51936British scientist Alan Turing read Ada's ideas and created the Turing machine, the basic design of a computer system.
1936 年，英国科学家艾伦·图灵读了艾达的构想，造出了图灵机——计算机系统的基本设计。
6The Turing machine could do all kinds of calculations, and it could also run different programs.
图灵机能做各种计算，也能运行不同的程序。
7This is the basis for all modern computers.
这正是所有现代计算机的基础。
81940sScientists built early computers in England and Germany.
20 世纪 40 年代，科学家在英国和德国造出了早期计算机。
9They were the size of a room!
它们足有一个房间那么大！
101971Ted Hoff was the main inventor of the microprocessor, or "microchip".
1971 年，特德·霍夫是微处理器（或称“微芯片”）的主要发明者。
11This was a major breakthrough in the history of computers.
这是计算机历史上的一次重大突破。
12Thanks to the microchip, computers and other electronic devices got faster and smaller very quickly.
多亏了微芯片，计算机和其他电子设备很快变得更快、更小。
131981A US company designed the first PC for the general public.
1981 年，一家美国公司为大众设计出了第一台个人电脑（PC）。
14Experts didn't believe that anybody wanted a computer at home.
专家们当时不相信有人会想在家里放一台电脑。
15But in two years they sold thousands of them.
但不出两年，他们就卖出了几千台。
161990s–presentSmartphones—phones with computer software—arrived!
20 世纪 90 年代至今，智能手机——带电脑软件的手机——登场了！
17Today's smartphones can connect to the internet and run all kinds of different apps—in other words, they are small computers.
如今的智能手机能连网、能运行各种应用程序——换句话说，它们就是小型计算机。
18The arrival of smartphones has started a new era in digital technology.
智能手机的问世开启了数字技术的新纪元。
19Expressions such as "Wi-Fi", "download" and "app" have become part of our daily lives.
像“Wi-Fi”“下载”“应用”这样的说法已经成了我们日常生活的一部分。
20The futureComputer technology continues to develop.
计算机技术仍在不断发展。
21Some computers will be tiny—perhaps we will even have computers in our clothes.
有些计算机将非常微小——也许我们的衣服里都会装上计算机。
22Scientists believe that quantum computers will be the next big breakthrough.
科学家相信量子计算机将是下一个重大突破。
23They will be many times faster than today's computers, and much more powerful.
它们将比今天的计算机快许多倍，功能也强大得多。
24Notes: In May 2021, Chinese researchers built a powerful quantum computer called Zuchongzhi.
注：2021 年 5 月，中国研究人员造出了一台强大的量子计算机，名为“祖冲之号”。
The story of the computer

词汇

program n.程序；节目
instruction n.指令
design v./n.设计
realize v.意识到
programmer n.程序员
calculation n.计算
basis n.基础
modern adj.现代的
microprocessor n.微处理器
microchip n.微芯片
breakthrough n.突破
electronic adj.电子的
expert n.专家
smartphone n.智能手机
software n.软件
app n.应用程序
era n.时代
quantum adj.量子的
powerful adj.强大的

词组

a set of instructions一套指令
add up把…加起来
all kinds of各种各样的
thanks to多亏；由于
the general public大众；公众
in other words换句话说
daily life日常生活

介词短语

with a set of instructions用一套指令
by Charles Babbage and Ada Lovelace由巴贝奇和艾达
in Britain / England / Germany在英国/德国
of a room / computers一个房间那么大 / 计算机的
thanks to the microchip多亏微芯片
for the general public面向大众
at home在家里
in two years / a new era / daily lives两年内 / 一个新时代 / 日常生活

二、语法和从句分析

1. 定语从句（that/which）：“a machine that can be programmed with a set of instructions”中 that 修饰 machine，意为“可被编程的机器”。
2. 宾语从句：“Ada realized that a computer program could do a lot more”、“Experts didn't believe that anybody wanted a computer at home”、“Scientists believe that quantum computers will be the next big breakthrough”——that 引导宾语从句，口语中常省略。
3. 被动语态（一般过去时）：“the first machine was designed by Charles Babbage”，强调动作的承受者（机器），by 引出动作执行者。
4. 动词不定式作目的 / 宾补：“wanted a machine to add up big numbers”（want sth to do 想要某物做某事）。
5. 同位语：“the Turing machine, the basic design of a computer system”中 the basic design… 是 the Turing machine 的同位语，补充说明它是什么。
6. 比较级：“faster and smaller”、“many times faster than today's computers”、“much more powerful”——faster/smaller 为 -er 比较级，more powerful 为 more 比较级；much / many times 修饰比较级表程度。
7. 现在完成时：“The arrival of smartphones has started a new era”、“Expressions have become part of our daily lives”——表示过去的动作对现在造成的影响。
8. 时间线叙述：全文按 1837 → 1936 → 1940s → 1971 → 1981 → 1990s–present → the future 顺序展开，是典型的时间顺序说明文。
IELTS 4.0 基础使用者 · Unit 3 Our digital lives · 文章精读 · The story of the computer