第3篇
Credit Card Only Works When Spoken to
A credit card that will not work unless it hears its owner’s voice could become an important Weapon in the fight against fraud．
The card requires users to give a spoken password that it recognizes using a built-in voice—recognition chip．The idea is to prevent thieves using a stolen card or fraudsters using someone else’s credit card details to buy goods online。．
A prototype built by engineers at Beepcard in Santa Monica，California，represents the first attempt to pack a microphone，a loud speaker, a battery and a voice-recognition chip into a standard．sized credit card．
They are not quite there yet：the card is the length and width of an ordinary credit card，but it is still about three times as thick．Alan Sege，Beepcard’s CEO，says the company now plans to use smaller chips to slim it down to normal thickness．
The voice card is based Oil an earlier Beepcard technology designed to prevent fraud in online transactions．This earlier card has no microphone．but has a built．in loudspeaker that it uses to “squawk” an acoustic ID signal via a computer’s microphone to an online server.
By verifying that the signal matches the card details，the server can establish that the user is not simply keying in…a credit card number but actually has the card to hand．The ID code changes each time the card is used in a pre-ordered sequence that only the server knows．
This prevents fraudsters recording the beeps．noting the card details and then playing back the audible ID when they key in the details later．But this earlier technology cannot prevent fraudulent use of stolen cards．The new one can．
The new voice card also identifies itself by-its ID squawk、but it will not do this until it has verified the legitimate user’s spoken password．Thieves will be unable to use the card because even if they knew the password they would have to be able to copy the owner’s voice with a high degree of accuracy．
The challenge for Beepcard has been to develop voice—recognition and audio circuitry that can be powered by a mini battery embedded in a credit card．To maximize battery life,the electronics are only switched on when the card is being used．Pressing a button on the card’s surface prompts it to utter “Say your password” in female voice．If the voice-recognition software proves that the password is authentic, it sends its ID squawk which the server then identifies，allowing the transaction to proceed．
詞匯 ：
fraudster／n．騙子
beep／n．(電子裝置發(fā)出的)嘟嘟聲
online／adj．＆adv．聯(lián)機(jī)的(地)，在線的(地)；實(shí)時(shí)操作的(地)
legitimate／adj．合法的
fraudulent／adj．欺騙性的：騙得的
prototype／n．原型；樣品
circuitry／n．電路系統(tǒng)
squawk／v．粗聲叫出
embed／v．埋置，嵌入，插入
acoustic／adj．聲的；用聲波操作的
utter／v．發(fā)出(聲音)，說(shuō)出
verify／v．證實(shí)，核實(shí)
1．How Call the credit card recognize the spoken password given by the user?
A)By using a voice-recognition chip embedded in the card．
B)By using a voice-recognition device built in the server．
C)By fixing a microphone in the card．
D)By fixing a loudspeaker in the card．
2.Are the engineers at Beepcard satisfied with the model they have built? Why or why not?
A)Yes，because the model they have built is a standardized credit card．
B)No，because the model they have built is too heavy．
C)No，because the model they have built is too thick．
D)Yes，because the model they have built is used worldwide．
3．What is the main difference between the earlier model and the new voice card?
A)The new one can identify itself by its ID squawk．
B)The new one Can produce beeps．
C)The new one needs the user to key in ID details．
D)The new one works only when it hears the password spoken by the user．
4．What is the advantage of the voice card?
A)It is safer because it requires more ID information．
B)It is safer because the voice-recognition chip is built in．
C)It．is safer because no one but the user can use the card．
D)It is safer because it can hardly be cheated by fraudsters．
5.According to the last paragraph，what is NOT involved in the process of using the voice card?
A)Switching on the electronics to maximize the battery life．
B)Pressing the “Say your password” button on the card’s surface．
C)The password is verified．
D)The ID squawk is sent to the server for it to identify．
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Agitated Sunspot Cause Trouble
If the lights in your house keep flickering, blame frequent sunspots.
A sunspot is actually charged particles flying at the speed of 3 million kilometers an hour out of the surface of the sun to form sun storms.
__1__.
The earth, which is directly energized by the sun, is influenced by sun storms in a number of ways.
__2__. Wireless short-wave communication, which depends on the wave's reflection against this layer of atmosphere, is likely to be jammed. It is said that mobile phone communication may be affected too.
__3__. According to a research conducted by the Russian scientists from 1957 to 1960, the frequency of earthquakes can be linked to the movement of the sunspots.
Though little research has been carried out about how exactly the sunspot will negatively harm the health of the people, a paper published by a North Korea observatory says that sun storms may cause an increase in the incidence of heart disease and skin disease. __4__.
Besides, the nervous system is also affected, and traffic accidents are more frequent when sunspots are active.
It is hard to say when the sunspots are most violent during their active year, but generally one active period is believed to last possibly eight days. Not long ago there were two violent sun storms breaking out, which seriously affected mobile phone communication, etc. in many parts of the world. __5__.
A. Ionosphere is high above the earth.
B. One is that the magnetic filed of the earth is much disturbed because of the sun's interference in the ionosphere which is 80 to 500 kilometers above the earth.
C. Scientists also say that the active movement of the charged sun storm also has effects on earthquakes
D. Every 11 years, the sun, as its energy accumulate inside up to a certain point, will send out streams of charged particles, which affect the earth in different ways
E． But the communication situation in each case returned to normal in about 24 hours.
F. So, scientists warn that people going outdoors should be careful to protect their exposed skin and eyes with clothes, umbrellas and sunglasses from the strong sunlight rich in ultraviolet rays.