Conversation One

W: Dr. Thomas? This is Keet Bradley from Daily News. I'd like to ask you some questions (1) about the new official standard weight that you purchased.
M: I'd be happy to help you. What would you like to know?
W: First of all, how was the standard weight used?
M: Well, (2) the people in our department use it to check the scales all over the country. The department of weights and measures, we are a government agency. It's our responsibility to see that all the scales measure a kilogram accurately so this is the way we use to adjust the scales.
W: How did you check the scales before?
M: We have an old standard weight that we used to use. (3) It had to be replaced because it was imprecise. You see it was made of poor quality metal that was too porous. It absorbed too much moisture.
W: Oh. So when the weather was humid it weighed more and when it was dry it weighed less.
M: Exactly. And the variation can affect the standards of the whole country. So our department had the new weight made out of higher quality metal.
W: How much did it cost?
M: About 45 thousand dollars.
W: 45,000 dollars? For one kilogram weight? That's more expensive than gold. (4) Is it really worth that much?
M: (4) I'm sure it is. Industries depend on our government agency to monitor the accuracy of scales so that when they buy and sell their products there is one standard. Think of the drug industry, for example, those companies rely on high accuracy scales to manufacture and package medicine.

1. What is the conversation mainly about?
2. What was the weight used for?
3. Why was the old standard weight replaced?
4. What is Dr. Thomas Conversation One attitude towards the cost of the new weight?

对话一

女：托马斯博士吗？我是《每日新闻》的克特·布兰得利Y,H=VMo4F(u。我想问您一些关于您购买的官方标准重量砝码的问题A#Uu^=%7nXlMe)K0yihc。
男：我很乐意为你提供有用信息Y9_qw=^kq~Va。你想知道什么？
女：首先，标准重量砝码如何使用？
男：我们部门里的人用它检测全国的天平7|v[3TNol@d&_L。我们在度量衡局工作，度量衡局是一个政府机构0Yl(&dej01。我们的职责是确保所有的天平每一千克称重的准确性z~gJhmFNdIm!&HK。这就是我们调测天平的方式tCLyMqTAc&。
女：你们以前是如何调测天平的？
男：我们过去使用的是老式砝码w|P[vw7=OtBhG.Eo。过去的砝码是用多孔的劣质金属所制，会吸收了大量的湿气而导致测量不准，所以不得不换掉了2(&vqy#_YCt]p,nlNeR。
女：哦，所以当天气潮湿时砝码会变重，天气干燥时砝码会变轻kMOO4&a4qz。
男：没错rnVXO0GG(.[Zp(4KCii。这一变化会影响到全国的统一标准D%88(+i]kR~M-Bp。所以我们部门买了优质金属制作的新砝码L&6z^=fb%jVmB-Y-。
女：新砝码花了多少钱？
男：大概4.5万美元&2M~kD1]kM&V]vnYBW。
女：一千克重的砝码4.5万美元？它比黄金还贵？它真的值这么多钱吗？
男：当然值了w_VgcxDNriI65KS%。实业公司都依赖政府机关来监控天平的准确性，这样它们在购买和销售产品时，就有了一个统一的标准c%WwxI8p+v4v8N!1o,。试想一下医药行业，该行业的公司需要依赖高准确度的天平来生产和包装药品VC~3Up9Y)~J。

问题1 对话的主要内容是什么？
问题2 砝码的用途是什么？
问题3 过去的标准砝码为什么被替换掉了？
问题4 托马斯博士对新砝码价格的态度是什么？

译文属可可原创，仅供学习和交流使用，未经允许不得转载

_txo!=w7)!0k)W3)1n@Kx]Z)8YyLiMn61,5o3^ZaKeV@~,( 来源:可可英语 //m.moreplr.com/cet6/201606/446982.shtml