资源描述：
《考研英语阅读练习题》由会员上传分享，免费在线阅读，更多相关内容在行业资料-天天文库。
1、TEXTONEApteraiscertainlynotthesortofnameanold-schoolcarmakerwouldgivetoitsnewestcreation.Biologistswillrecogniseitasthetermforscuttlingwinglessinsects—silverfishandsuchlike.ButSteveFambro,thebossoftheeponymousCaliforniancompanythatplanstomakeandsellelectricvehiclesunderthisname,hopestheywillso
2、onbeswarmingoverthestate'shighways.UnlikeTesla,anotherboutiqueelectric-vehiclemakerfromtheGoldenState,Apteraisaimingforthebottomendofthemarket.ATeslasportscarwillsetyouback$98,000(oritwouldifyoucouldgetyourhandsonone:Teslahasdelayedshipmentofitsfirst50carsuntilnextyear).AnAptera,bycontrast,sta
3、rtsat$26,900,andshouldbeavailablethistimenextyear.AndinsteadofaFerrariknock-off,yougetaspace-agetricycle.ButApteraandTeslahavethingsincommon.Theyarebothsmall.Theywerebothstartedbypeoplewithnoexperienceinthemotorindustry.Andtheyarebothaimingtostartbyropingintheeco-fashionistasofCalifornia,andth
4、enworkoutwardstothemainstream.ThenameApterawaschosenbecausethevehicleresemblesasmall,winglessaircraft.Itsthree-wheeldesignexemptsitfromonerousfederaltestingregulations.Theoutershellismadeofacarbon-fibrecomposite,ratherthanmetal.Thelinesarewind-tunnelaerodynamic.Andprotuberancesarekepttoaminimu
5、m.Wingmirrors,forexample,arereplacedbyarear-facingcamerawitha180°fieldofviewandtheexhaustvalvesarerecessedtominimiseturbulence.Inthepureplug-inversion,thosevalvesareforwasteheatfromtheelectronics.Thereisalsoapetrol-electrichybrid,withasingle-cylindergeneratorthatextendstherangefrom200kmto1,130
6、km.Topspeedis150kph.OnereasonfortheemergenceoffirmssuchasApteraisthatdesigninganewvehiclehasbecomeasmuchanexerciseinsoftwaresimulationasinmetal(orevencarbon-fibre)bashing.Thatenablesthefirm'sengineerstodoextensivedevelopmentwork—eventhingslikecrash-testing—onacomputer.Thisismuchcheaperthanbuil
7、dingendlessprototypesanddrivinglotsofthemintowalls.Anotherreasonisthewidespreadavailabilityofpreviouslyspecialisedcomponentssuchaslithium-ionbatteries.ThatmeansthatanupstartsuchasApteracanfocusontheelectronicbrainsofthevehicleanditsfina
