14．On March 9th，Apple，probably the most successful technology company in history，held an event to launch its smartwatch，which will go on sale next month．In addition to keeping track of time，the watch measures the wearer's heart rate and activity levels，processes voice commands，gives alerts of incoming e-mails and calls and facilitates payments in checkout lines．In other words，it does a lot of what smartphones already accomplish，but is worn on the wrist and must be close to an iPhone in order to function．Why is there so much buzz about this watch？
As smartphones have enjoyed a sudden and tremendous boost in global appeal，people have started to wonder what the next major technology trend would be．Many analysts have pinned their hopes on wearable devices，which contain small sensors to track and display information．This category includes everything from smartwatches like Apple's，to fitness bands that measure sleep patterns and exercise，to"smart"shoes that measure distance，to smart glasses that can take voice commands and display information．Wearables promise to measure personal data and save people time：a glance at one's wrist to see alerts takes fewer seconds than pulling out a phone．Companies in various industries，from mining to airlines，are also cautiously testing whether wearables can help improve efficiency or customer service．
However，while the number of wearable gadgets has grown，consumers still tend to be geeks （对电脑痴迷的人） and fitness fans．Last year around 21million wearable devices were sold，most of them wrist-worn devices，according to IDC，a research firm．Wearable devices have failed to become mainstream for three main reasons．First，many of them are unable to function without a nearby smartphone，which limits their appeal．Consumers already have to keep track of several devices without adding another．Second，they are not yet considered cool．Google Glass，a pair of"smart"glasses made by the search-engine firm，were so clunky that even fashion models could not make them look good．Third，there is not yet a"killer app"that proves their usefulness in people's daily lives．Technologists imagine a future when wearable devices will serve to confirm personal identity，facilitate payments，unlock house and car doors and track people's activity and wellness．That future，however，is years away．
Apple has a record of pushing existing technologies into the mainstream，including the Macintosh computer，iPod，iPhone and iPad．This helps explain why people are so interested in Apple's watch．If the firm's new product is attractive enough，it could validate （使…有效）a whole category of technology．Apple has enough loyal fans to sell millions of watches this year．But wearable devices'usefulness for the masses remains uncertain．In the meantime，firms and software developers will need to invest more time and resources in designing new applications that will put the"wear"in wearables．
74．The underlined word"buzz"in the first paragraph probably means"A"．
A．excitement
B．doubt
C．complaint
D．satisfaction
75．Apple's smartwatch has all the following functions except thatC．
A．it makes payments more convenient
B．it informs people of the arrival of emails
C．it enables the wearer to talk to the caller
D．it reacts to commands when talked to
76．What can be inferred from the last two paragraphs？C
A．Apple can become the mainstream in technology because most of its products own attractive appearances．
B．Wearable technology is popular among the majority because it serves various purposes in diverse areas．
C．Firms and software developers need to make wearable devices more wearable to meet the needs of the majority．
D．Many people still want to buy Google Glass even if it doesn't look good on fashion models．
77．What is the purpose of writing this passage？B
A．To tell people about the functions and limits of Apple's smartwatch．
B．To argue that the smartwatch can serve as a good example to improve wearable devices．
C．To encourage various companies to improve their businesses by using wearables．
D．To help consumers differentiate the smartwatch from other wearable gadgets．
分析 本篇文章主要讲述了苹果公司推出了智能手表，该款手表功能众多，可以改善目前不景气的可戴设备市场．
解答 74．A．词义猜测题．由上下文可知，苹果公司推出的智能手表引发了人们的关注，因此划线词应该是热点，关注一类的意思．excitement在此替代比较合适，故选A．
75．C．细节理解题．由第一段中的"In addition to keeping track of time，the watch measures the wearer's heart rate and activity levels，processes voice commands，gives alerts of incoming e-mails and calls and facilitates payments in checkout lines"可知，苹果手表的功能有提示时间，测量佩戴者的心率和活动水平，处理语音命令，接收的电子邮件和电话，以及支付功能，A、B和D选项正确，故用排除法，故选C．
76．C．推理判断题．由最后一段中的"firms and software developers will need to invest more time and resources in designing new applications that will put the‘wear'in wearables"，公司和软件开发商需要投入更多的时间和资源，设计新的应用程序，应用在可穿戴设备上．可知可穿戴设备需要继续发展，改进，来适应大多数消费者的需求．故选C．
77．B．写作意图题．阅读全文可知，文章主要讲述了苹果公司推出了智能手表，该款手表功能众多，可以改善目前不景气的可戴设备市场．故选B．
点评 科教类文章理解难度偏大，因此考生可以先阅读题干要求，在带着问题阅读原文，没有对应题目的语段可直接略过，加快阅读速度，也方便做题．
