一开始，人们用他们的手指，连同自己的脚趾。然而，他们也只能指望这样来计算小的数字。

At first首先, people人们 used用 their他们的 fingers['f??g?]手指, and even甚至 their toes[t??]脚趾. However然而, they could能够 only仅仅 count数 small小的 numbers数字 in this way用这种方法.

后来，他们开始用棍棒和骨头制作一些小物件。这能帮助他们计算更大的数字。他们依此来计算如每个月天数、他们拥有的食物和动物数量（那样的数字）。

After that在那之后, they 他们began to 开始make 制作small 小的marks[mɑ?k] 符号；标记on sticks[st?k] 棍子and bones[b??n]骨头. This helped帮助 them他们 count数 bigger更大的 numbers数字. They used用 them to count things like像是 the days 天of the month月, the amount [?'ma?nt]数量 of food食物 and the number of ...的数量animals动物 they had有.

再后来人们开始使用由粘土或小石块做成小物件。这可以用来计算更大的数字。他们通常会它们穿成串儿，以方便他们携带。这就发展成了如算盘的工具。

Then然后 people人们 began to 开始use 用tokens['t??k(?)n]符号 made from用...做 clay[kle?] 泥土or small stones[b??n]石头. This helped them count数 even甚至 bigger更大的 numbers数字. They often经常 put the tokens 符号on pieces[pi?s] 根of string[str??]绳子 so that 所以they could能够 carry携带 them around四处 easily容易地. This developed into[d?'vel?p] 发展成tools [tu?l]工具 like像 the abacus['?b?k?s]算盘.

最后，人们开始发展书写符号系统，用来显示不同的数字，于是产生了印度 - 阿拉伯数字（0-9）。直到今天，我们仍然在使用这套（数字）系统。

Finally['fa?n?l?]最后, people人们 began to 开始develop[d?'vel?p]发展 systems['s?st?m]系统 of written['r?tn] 书写的marks [mɑ?k]符号 to show 展示；表明different 不同的numbers数字, and this led to[led]导致 the Hindu-Arabic['hindu:-?'reibik] system['s?st?m] 系统(0—9). We are still 仍然using使用 this system today.

世界各地的数

Numbers around the world

世界各地的人们书写数字的方式不同。下图显示了不同文化背景的人如何写从一到五。

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People around the world write numbers in different ways. The following shows how people from different cultures write one to five.

汉语：一，二，三，四，五 Chinese: 一、二、三、四、五 罗马：Ⅰ，Ⅱ，Ⅲ，Ⅳ，Ⅴ Romans: Ⅰ, Ⅱ, Ⅲ, Ⅳ, Ⅴ 英语：one, two, three, four, five English: one, two, three, four, five

但是，今日世界上绝大多数人都在使用阿拉伯数字（1，2，3，4，5，等等）。 However, most people around the world use Arabic numbers (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, etc.) today.

Unit 3 电脑的事实 Computer facts[f?kt] 更小而更好 Smaller and better

在 20 世纪 40 年代，第一台电脑比汽车还要大。现在的电脑变得越来越小，而且越来越好了。有些电脑是微型的。你可能意识不到它们。可能在你的电视机或洗衣机内部就有一个。你比你所意识到的更加依赖电脑。

In the 1940s, the first computers were bigger than cars. Now computers are becoming smaller and better. Some computers are tiny['ta?n?]微小的. You may be unaware of没注意到[?n?'we?] them. There is probably 或许one inside your TV or washing machine洗衣机. You depend on [d?'pend] 依赖computers more than you realize['ri??la?z]意识到.

我们可以用电脑做什么？ What can we do with computers?

我们可以用电脑来计算。它们可以以比我们更快的速度计算而且几乎从来不会给你错误的答案。我们还可以用它们来打字或绘画。此外，电脑还可以担负重要的工作，像是操作铁路、飞飞机和太空飞船。

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We can use computers to calculate['k?lkj?le?t]计算. They can calculate at a faster speed[spi?d] 以一个更快的速度than we can and almost 几乎never从不 give wrong answers. We can also type [ta?p]打字 and draw画 things with them. In addition[?'d??(?)n]另外, computers can do important jobs[d??b]工作 like operating ['?p?re?t]操作；运行 railways ['re?lwe?]铁路 and flying planes飞机 and spaceships['spe?s??p]太空飞船. 一台电脑会比我更聪明？ Is a computer cleverer than me?

答案是“否”。你的大脑能产生新的想法，但电脑不能。不过，或许有一天电脑能比人类干得更好。例如：他们可能比医生更能从事医生的工作。

The answer is “No”. Your brain[bre?n]大脑 can produce[pr?'dju?s]产生 new ideas but computers cannot. However然而, one day computers may be able to能够 do a better job than human beings人类. For example, they may be better than doctors at doing their job.

如果电脑可以做我们所有的工作时将会发生什么？我们什么都不用做？电脑可能会改变我们的生活，但它们会让生活变得更美好吗？

What will happen to发生 us if computers can do all our jobs? Will we have nothing to do? Computers may change[t?e?n(d)?]改变 our lives生活, but will they make them better?

电脑游戏的问题

Computer game problems问题

家长们和教师们，下午好。感谢您出席本次会议。上周末，我们的一个学生进了医院。这名学生在上周六一整天都在电脑上玩在线游戏，没有停下来喝口水、吃饭或睡觉。到最后，他（身体）就变得很虚弱了。

Good afternoon, parents 父母and teacher. Thank you for attending[?'tend]参加 this meeting. Last weekend上周末, one of our students went to hospital. The student played computer games on the Internet['?nt?net] 网上all day Saturday without没有 stopping to drink, eat or sleep. Finally最后, he became very ill生重病.

一些学生玩电脑游戏的时间过长，这是一个严重的问题。以前，学生们更多的是经常在户外玩，但现在他们花更多的时间在电脑前。这对他们的健康不利。

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Some students play computer games for too long. This is a serious['s??r??s]严重的 problem. In the past在过去, students used to过去常常 play outside外面 more often, but now they spend 花费more time in front of 在..前面computers. This is bad for their health[helθ]健康.

明天我们将会有些专家到这跟学生聊聊关于玩电脑游戏的坏的影响。他们也将给出一些关于如何用电脑学习的建议。

Tomorrow we’ll have some experts ['eksp??t]专家 here to talk to the students about the bad effects [?'fekt]影响 of playing computer games. They’ll also give some advice[?d'va?s] 建议on 关于how to use computers for studying.

我希望我们能一起努力，防止学生花太多时间玩电脑游戏。感谢大家抽空过来！ I hope we can all work together一起 to stop students from阻止 spending花费 too much 太多time playing computer games. Thank you for your time.

The abacus 算盘

算盘或许算是（世上）第一款计算机了。人们早在 4000 年前就开始使用它来做算术了。它在古代中国，罗马，埃及和希腊都有被使用。今天，还有些人在使用算盘。

The abacus was perhaps the first type of computer. People started using it over 4,000 years ago to do maths. It was used in ancient China, Rome, Egypt and Greece. Today some people still use the abacus. Unit 4

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