綜合類C級：閱讀理解Weaving with Light
In the Sierra Madre mountain range of west central Mexico1，the native Huichol people2 live much the way their ancestors did-without electricity. Thats because its too expensive to string power lines3 to the remote mountain areas where they live. To help support themselves，the Huichol create beautiful artwork. They sell their art in cities hundreds of miles away from their villages. And without electricity-at home or on the road，they can only work during daylight hours. When it gets dark，they must stop whatever they’re doing.
Now，a team of scientists，designers，and architects is using4 new technologies to provide the Huichol with light after the sun sets The scientists technique involves weaving tiny electronic crystals into fabrics that can be made into clothes，bags，or other items.
By collecting the sun’s energy during the day，these lightweight fabrics provide bright white light at night. Their inventors have named the fabrics "Portable Lights." Portable Lights have the potential to transform the lives of people without electricity around the world，says project leader Sheila Kennedy.
“Our invention，”Kennedy says，“came from seeing how we could transform technology we saw every day in the United States and move it into new markets for people who didn’t have a lot of money.”
At the core of5 Portable Light technology are devices called high-brightness light-emitting diodes，or HB LEDs6.These tiny lights appear in digital clocks，televisions，and streetlights.
LEDs are completely different from the light bulbs. Most of those glass bulbs belong to a type called incandescent lights. Inside，electricity heats a metal coil to about 2，200 degrees Celsius. At that temperature，bulbs give off light we can see.
Ninety percent of energy produced by incandescent lights，however，is heat - and invisible. With all that wasted energy，bulbs bum out quickly. They are also easily broken.
LEDs，on the other hand，are like tiny pieces of rock made up of molecules that are arranged in a crystal structure. When an electric current passes through an LED，the crystal structure produces light. Unlike incandescent bulbs，they can produce light of various colors. Within an LED，the type of molecules and their particular arrangement determines what color is produced.
詞匯：
Portable adj.輕便的，手提式的 incandescent adj.白灼的
Light-emitting diode(LED) 發(fā)光二極管 coil n.線圈，卷，圈
Bulb n.燈泡；球狀物 molecule n.分子
注釋：
1.Sierra Madre mountain range of west central Mexico：墨西哥中西部的馬德雷山脈。Sierra一詞在西班牙語中本身就包含了“山脈”的意思，確切地說是“呈齒狀起伏的山脈"，因為在西班牙語中Sierra有“鋸子"的意思。
2.Huichol people：維克人。他們是居住在墨西哥中西部地區(qū)馬德雷山脈的土著印地安人。該地區(qū)山路崎嶇，所以西班牙人未涉足于此，墨西哥文化也沒能影響維克人的土著文化。據(jù)估計，維克印地安人現(xiàn)僅存約一萬人。
3.string power lines：架設輸電線
4.Now，a team of scientists…is using：a team of scientists可以視作單數(shù)，也可以視作復數(shù)。本句用作單數(shù)，所以后接的謂語動詞是is.
5.At the core of：此處the core of意為the basic or most important part of(最重要的部分)。
6.At the core of Portable Light technology are devices called high-brightness light-emitting diodes， or HB LEDs：本句是倒裝句，主語是“devices called high-brightness light-emitting diodes， or HB LEDs"，謂語動詞是“are”。High-brightness light-emitting diodes可譯為“高亮度發(fā)光二極管。