A research center has been set up in this Far Eastern country to develop advanced micro-chip production technology. The center, which will start out with about US $14 million, will help the country develop its chip industry without always depending on imported technology.

　　The center will make use of its research skills and facilities to develop new technology for domestic chip plants. The advent of the center will possibly free the country from the situation that it is always buying almost-outdated technologies from other countries, said the countrys flagship chipmaker.1 Currently, chip plants in this country are in a passive situation because many foreign governments dont allow them to import the most advanced technologies, fearing they will be used for military purposes. Moreover, the high licensing fees they have to pay to technology providers are also an important reason for their decision of self-reliance2.

　　As mainstream chip production technology shifts from one generation to the next every three to five years3,plants with new technology can make more powerful chips at lower costs, while4 plants with outdated equipment, which often cost billions of dollars to build, will be marginalized by the maker.

　　More than 10 chip plants are being built, each costing millions of US dollars.5 The majority of that money goes to overseas equipment vendors and technology owners mainly from Japan and Singapore.

　　Should the new center play a major role in improving the situation in the industry,6 the country admits the US $14 million investment is still rather small. This country is developing comprehensive technologies. Most of the investment will be spent on setting alliances with technology and intellectual property7 owners.

　　詞匯：

　　microchip微芯片 flagship 首位，最好

　　mainstream 主流 marginalize 忽視，邊緣化

　　vendor 賣主

　　注釋：

　　1.The advent of the center will possibly free the country from the situation that it is always buying almost-outdated technologies from other countries, said the countrys flagship chipmaker：這個國家名列首位的芯片制造公司說，芯片中心的成立可能使這個國家擺脫從他國購買即將淘汰的技術的困境。

　　free ... from ... ：把從解放出來

　　situation that = situation in which

　　said the countrys flagship chipmaker：把誰說的放在句末，是為了突出The advent ... other countries所表達的事實。注意放在句末時用的是倒裝句：said the countrys flagship chipmaker。

　　2.self-reliance：自力更生

　　3.every three to five years：每隔3～5年

　　4.while：而

　　5.More than 10 chip plants are being built, each costing millions of US dollars：十幾個芯片廠正在建設之中，每一個廠的造價都在幾百萬美元。

　　each costing millions of US dollars是獨立分詞結構，用作狀語，進一步說明情況。

　　6.Should the new center play a major role in improving the situation in the industry：如果新建的芯片中心能在改善該國在芯片行業的形勢中起重要作用

　　Shouldin the industry是虛擬條件句，也可寫成If the new center should play a major role in improving the situation in the industry ...

　　7.intellectual property：知識產權

　　練習：

　　1.The country says that the investment of US $14 million is big enough for developing that countrys chip industry.

　　A　Right B　Wrong C　Not mentioned

　　2.That country gives top priorities to developing chips for military purposes.

　　A　Right B　Wrong C　Not mentioned

　　3.Although the licensing fees are not very high, that Far Eastern country cannot afford to pay.

　　A　Right B　Wrong C　Not mentioned

　　4.Many western countries ban the exporting of the most advanced chip-making technologies to that country to prevent them from being used for military purposes.

　　A　Right B　Wrong C　Not mentioned

　　5.Currently, almost all the flagship chipmakers in that country are owned by American investors.

　　A　Right B　Wrong C　Not mentioned

　　6.Mainstream chip production technology develop rapidly.

　　A　Right B　Wrong C　Not mentioned

　　7.More than 10 chip plants being built in that country are an example of self-reliance.

　　A　Right B　Wrong C　Not mentioned

　　答案與題解：

　　1.B　本題給出的信息是錯誤的。最后一段說到，如果新建的芯片中心能在改善該國在芯片行業的被動形勢中起重要作用，該國認為：... the US $14 million investment is still rather small。

　　2.C　文章沒有提供這方面的信息。

　　3.B　文章提到專利費較高，此句說較低，與原意不符。

　　4.A　本題給出的信息是正確的。第二段有這樣一句話：Currently, chip plants in this country are in a passive situation because many foreign governments dont allow them to import the most advanced technologies, fearing they will be used for military purposes.這就是選A的依據。

　　5.C　文章沒有提供這方面的信息。

　　6.A　選A的依據是第三段第一句：... mainstream chip production technology shifts from one generation to the next every three to five years ...

　　7.B　本題給出的信息是錯誤的。第四段第二句說明，這些芯片工廠的技術主要是從日本和新加坡進口的。

　　譯文：微芯片研究中心成立

　　為了開發先進的微芯片生產技術，這個遠東國家建立了一個研究中心，該中心啟動資金為一千四百萬美元，可以幫助該國開發自己的芯片工業，不必總是依賴于進口技術。

　　該中心將會應用自己的研究技術和設施，為本國芯片廠家開發新技術。這個國家名列首位的芯片制造公司說，芯片中心的成立可能使這個國家擺脫從他國購買即將淘汰的技術的困境。由于許多外國政府擔心先進技術會被用于軍事目的，不允許這個國家的芯片生產廠家進口前沿技術，所以這些生產廠家處于一種被動局面。另外，由于這些芯片生產廠家必須向技術提供者支付高額的許可費，這也構成了他們決定要自力更生的一個重要原因。

　　由于主流芯片生產技術每隔 3～5年就要進行更新換代，所以掌握了新技術的廠家就可以以較低的成本制造出較好的芯片，而那些耗費數十億美元建立起的廠家，如果設備落后，也將會被生產商所淘汰。

　　幾個芯片廠正在建立之中，每個廠的造價都在幾百萬美元，其中大部分資金都流向了海外設備商和技術所有者主要是日本和新加坡。

　　如果新建的芯片中心能在改變該國芯片行業的被動形勢中起到重要作用，該國承認，一千四百萬美元的投資仍是微不足道的。該國正在開發綜合技術，大部分投資將用于與技術和知識產權所有者建立聯盟。

　　A research center has been set up in this Far Eastern country to develop advanced micro-chip production technology. The center, which will start out with about US $14 million, will help the country develop its chip industry without always depending on imported technology.

　　The center will make use of its research skills and facilities to develop new technology for domestic chip plants. The advent of the center will possibly free the country from the situation that it is always buying almost-outdated technologies from other countries, said the countrys flagship chipmaker.1 Currently, chip plants in this country are in a passive situation because many foreign governments dont allow them to import the most advanced technologies, fearing they will be used for military purposes. Moreover, the high licensing fees they have to pay to technology providers are also an important reason for their decision of self-reliance2.

　　As mainstream chip production technology shifts from one generation to the next every three to five years3,plants with new technology can make more powerful chips at lower costs, while4 plants with outdated equipment, which often cost billions of dollars to build, will be marginalized by the maker.

　　More than 10 chip plants are being built, each costing millions of US dollars.5 The majority of that money goes to overseas equipment vendors and technology owners mainly from Japan and Singapore.

　　Should the new center play a major role in improving the situation in the industry,6 the country admits the US $14 million investment is still rather small. This country is developing comprehensive technologies. Most of the investment will be spent on setting alliances with technology and intellectual property7 owners.

　　詞匯：

　　microchip微芯片 flagship 首位，最好

　　mainstream 主流 marginalize 忽視，邊緣化

　　vendor 賣主

　　注釋：

　　1.The advent of the center will possibly free the country from the situation that it is always buying almost-outdated technologies from other countries, said the countrys flagship chipmaker：這個國家名列首位的芯片制造公司說，芯片中心的成立可能使這個國家擺脫從他國購買即將淘汰的技術的困境。

　　free ... from ... ：把從解放出來

　　situation that = situation in which

　　said the countrys flagship chipmaker：把誰說的放在句末，是為了突出The advent ... other countries所表達的事實。注意放在句末時用的是倒裝句：said the countrys flagship chipmaker。

　　2.self-reliance：自力更生

　　3.every three to five years：每隔3～5年

　　4.while：而

　　5.More than 10 chip plants are being built, each costing millions of US dollars：十幾個芯片廠正在建設之中，每一個廠的造價都在幾百萬美元。

　　each costing millions of US dollars是獨立分詞結構，用作狀語，進一步說明情況。

　　6.Should the new center play a major role in improving the situation in the industry：如果新建的芯片中心能在改善該國在芯片行業的形勢中起重要作用

　　Shouldin the industry是虛擬條件句，也可寫成If the new center should play a major role in improving the situation in the industry ...

　　7.intellectual property：知識產權

　　練習：

　　1.The country says that the investment of US $14 million is big enough for developing that countrys chip industry.

　　A　Right B　Wrong C　Not mentioned

　　2.That country gives top priorities to developing chips for military purposes.

　　A　Right B　Wrong C　Not mentioned

　　3.Although the licensing fees are not very high, that Far Eastern country cannot afford to pay.

　　A　Right B　Wrong C　Not mentioned

　　4.Many western countries ban the exporting of the most advanced chip-making technologies to that country to prevent them from being used for military purposes.

　　A　Right B　Wrong C　Not mentioned

　　5.Currently, almost all the flagship chipmakers in that country are owned by American investors.

　　A　Right B　Wrong C　Not mentioned

　　6.Mainstream chip production technology develop rapidly.

　　A　Right B　Wrong C　Not mentioned

　　7.More than 10 chip plants being built in that country are an example of self-reliance.

　　A　Right B　Wrong C　Not mentioned

　　答案與題解：

　　1.B　本題給出的信息是錯誤的。最后一段說到，如果新建的芯片中心能在改善該國在芯片行業的被動形勢中起重要作用，該國認為：... the US $14 million investment is still rather small。

　　2.C　文章沒有提供這方面的信息。

　　3.B　文章提到專利費較高，此句說較低，與原意不符。

　　4.A　本題給出的信息是正確的。第二段有這樣一句話：Currently, chip plants in this country are in a passive situation because many foreign governments dont allow them to import the most advanced technologies, fearing they will be used for military purposes.這就是選A的依據。

　　5.C　文章沒有提供這方面的信息。

　　6.A　選A的依據是第三段第一句：... mainstream chip production technology shifts from one generation to the next every three to five years ...

　　7.B　本題給出的信息是錯誤的。第四段第二句說明，這些芯片工廠的技術主要是從日本和新加坡進口的。

　　譯文：微芯片研究中心成立

　　為了開發先進的微芯片生產技術，這個遠東國家建立了一個研究中心，該中心啟動資金為一千四百萬美元，可以幫助該國開發自己的芯片工業，不必總是依賴于進口技術。

　　該中心將會應用自己的研究技術和設施，為本國芯片廠家開發新技術。這個國家名列首位的芯片制造公司說，芯片中心的成立可能使這個國家擺脫從他國購買即將淘汰的技術的困境。由于許多外國政府擔心先進技術會被用于軍事目的，不允許這個國家的芯片生產廠家進口前沿技術，所以這些生產廠家處于一種被動局面。另外，由于這些芯片生產廠家必須向技術提供者支付高額的許可費，這也構成了他們決定要自力更生的一個重要原因。

　　由于主流芯片生產技術每隔 3～5年就要進行更新換代，所以掌握了新技術的廠家就可以以較低的成本制造出較好的芯片，而那些耗費數十億美元建立起的廠家，如果設備落后，也將會被生產商所淘汰。

　　幾個芯片廠正在建立之中，每個廠的造價都在幾百萬美元，其中大部分資金都流向了海外設備商和技術所有者主要是日本和新加坡。

　　如果新建的芯片中心能在改變該國芯片行業的被動形勢中起到重要作用，該國承認，一千四百萬美元的投資仍是微不足道的。該國正在開發綜合技術，大部分投資將用于與技術和知識產權所有者建立聯盟。