Virtual Heaven
If you could live forever, would you want to? The challenge of keeping your body alive seems impossible, but some scientists are working on an alternative. They want to create a digital copy of your “self” and keep that copy “alive” long after your physical body has stopped functioning.
ps: 如果你能永生，你愿意吗？保持身体健康的挑战似乎是不可能的，但一些科学家正在研究另一种方法。他们想为你的“自我”创建一个数字拷贝，并在你的身体停止运作后很长一段时间内保持这个拷贝的“活力”。
would you行吗; 你想; 你会不会
alive活着; 在世; 情绪饱满; 激动兴奋; 有生气; 有活力; 继续存在
impossible不可能存在的; 不可能的; 难处理的; 很难对付的; 不可能的事; 不可能
scientists科学家; scientist的复数
working on致力于；作用于；继续工作
long after很久以后
stopped停止，停下; 中断，停止; 结束，终止; stop的过去分词和过去式
functioning起作用; 正常工作; 运转; function的现在分词
In effect, their plan is to clone a person electronically. Unlike ordinary physical clones –which have identical features as their parents, but which are independent organisms, each with a different conscious self– your electronic clone would believe itself to be you.
PS: 实际上，他们的计划是用电子手段克隆一个人。与普通的物理克隆不同，你的电子克隆人相信自己就是你。物理克隆人的特征与其父母相同，但它们是独立的有机体，每个有机体都有不同的意识自我。
clone克隆动物; 无性繁殖动物; 复制动物; 好像一模一样的人; 复制品; 仿造品; 翻版; 复制器; 仿制机; 以无性繁殖技术复制; 克隆; 非法复制，克隆
electronically用电子方法; 用电子装置
Unlike不像; 与…不同; 非…的特征; 不同; 相异
ordinary普通的; 平常的; 一般的; 平凡的; 平庸的; 平淡无奇的
clones克隆动物; 无性繁殖动物; 复制动物; 好像一模一样的人; 复制品; 仿造品; 翻版; 复制器; 仿制机; 以无性繁殖技术复制; 克隆; 非法复制，克隆; clone的第三人称单数和复数
identical完全同样的; 相同的; 同一的
organisms有机体; 生物; 微生物; 有机组织; 有机体系; organism的复数 英 [ˈɔːɡənɪzəm] 美 [ˈɔːrɡənɪzəm]
conscious意识到; 注意到; 神志清醒的; 有知觉的; 有意识的; 慎重的; 有意的; 刻意的
One plan relies on the development of nano technology. Ray Kurzweil, a leading futurist, predicts that within two or three decades we will have tiny transmitters that can be injected into the brain. How might this be possible? Once there they would line up alongside neurons and monitor the details of the brain’s activity. They would then be able to transmit that information to receivers inside a special helmet, allowing us to map the brain.
PS: 一个计划依赖于纳米技术的发展。著名的未来学家雷·库兹韦尔预测，在二三十年内，我们将拥有可以注入大脑的微型发射器。这怎么可能？一旦到了那里，他们将与神经元并排，并监测大脑活动的细节。然后，他们就能将这些信息传送到一个特殊头盔内的接收器，让我们绘制大脑地图。
relies依赖;依靠; 信赖;信任; rely的第三人称单数
leading英 [ˈliːdɪŋ , ˈledɪŋ] 美 [ˈliːdɪŋ , ˈledɪŋ] adj.最重要的;一流的;(赛跑或比赛中)领先的，最前n.行距(相邻两个文本行之间的距离)v.带路;领路;引领;(与…)相连，相通;通向;通往
futurist未来主义者; 未来派艺术家; 未来派作家; 预测未来者; 未来学家
predicts预言; 预告; 预报; predict的第三人称单数
transmitters发射机，发射台，发报台; 传送者; 传输者; 传播者; 传染媒介; transmitter的复数
injected注射; 添加，增加; inject的过去分词和过去式
line up排成行; 列队; 使排列成行; 对齐; 组织; 邀集
neurons英 [ˈnjʊərɒnz] 美 [ˈnʊrɑnz] n.神经元neuron的复数
be able to能做到…的; 可以…的，能够…的
nano technology纳米技术
As a further step, Kurzweil foresees using these tiny transmitters to connect you to a world of virtual reality. With the transmitters in place, you could think your way onto the internet. Instead of seeing pictures on a screen, you would see them in your mind. Rather than send emails to your friends, you could meet them on some virtual tropical beach and exchange messages in “virtual person”.
PS: 作为一个进一步的步骤，库兹韦尔预见到使用这些微型发射器将你连接到一个虚拟现实的世界。有了发射器，你就可以想办法上网了。与其在屏幕上看到图片，不如在脑海中看到它们。你可以在一些虚拟的热带海滩上和朋友们见面，用“虚拟人”交流信息，而不是给朋友们发邮件。
foresees预料; 预见; 预知; foresee的第三人称单数
transmitters发射机，发射台，发报台; 传送者; 传输者; 传播者; 传染媒介; transmitter的复数
virtual reality虚拟现实，拟境，虚拟时空
in place在正确的位置; 在通常的位置; 身在…的处境; 处于…的位置; 正在运作，就位
Instead of代替; 作为…的替换
Rather than而不
tropical热带的; 来自热带的; 产于热带的
For a futurist like Ray, this would be heaven, a virtual heaven. Once you upload the brain onto the Internet and log on to that virtual world, your body can be left to decompose while your virtual self can play games for as long as you wish.
PS: 对于雷这样的未来主义者来说，这将是天堂，一个虚拟的天堂。一旦你将大脑上传到互联网并登录到那个虚拟世界，你的身体就会被留下来分解，而你的虚拟自我可以随心所欲地玩游戏。
futurist未来主义者; 未来派艺术家; 未来派作家; 预测未来者; 未来学家
heaven天堂; 天国; 极乐之地; 极乐; 天空
brain脑; 动物脑髓; 智力; 脑力; 逻辑思维能力; 猛击…的脑袋致死
log on登录，登入
virtual world虚拟世界
be left to由…来决定
decompose腐烂; 分解
play games做游戏; 玩游戏; 捣鬼
as long as只要
However, there is still a problem. To exist on the net, your virtual self will have to reside on the computer of a web-hosting company. These companies want to be paid real money, or they will delete your “self” and sell the space to someone else. With your body long gone how you pay?
PS: 然而，仍然存在一个问题。要存在于网络上，你的虚拟自我将不得不驻留在一个网络托管公司的计算机上。这些公司希望得到实实在在的报酬，否则他们会删除你的“自我”，然后把空间卖给别人。你的身体早就不见了你怎么付钱？
reside存在，留在
web-hosting网站托管，网页寄存
delete 删除
Exercises:
1. According to the author, digital technologies are creating new possibilities for extending life.
2.What would happen if you couldn't pay to exist on someone's company?
you would be deleted.
3.Nanotechnology deals with working with matter at a molecular scale.
4.A futurist is someone studies trends and makes predictions.
5. What will be injected into the brain in order to monitor and map its activity?
tiny transmitters
6. What is this article about?
It’s about the possibility of staying alive along after our bodies have stopped functioning.
7. Neurons are nerve cells.
8. When someone goes to heaven, they are going to the place of God and eternal happiness.
9. To clone something means to make copies of it from itself.
Please tap the first correct sentence to appear:
1. How soon it will be before we can have tiny transmitters that can be injected into the brain?
>> Ray Kurzweil, a leading futurist, predicts that within two or three decades we will have tiny transmitters that can be injected into the brain.
2. How do the web-hosting companies want to be paid?
These companies want to be paid real money, or they will delete your “self” and sell the space to someone else.
Fill in the blanks:
1. The challenge of keeping your body alive seems impossible, but some scientists are working on an alternative. They want to create a digital copy of your “self” and keep that copy “alive” long after your physical body has stopped functioning.
2. Ray Kurzweil, a leading futurist, predicts that within two or three decades we will have tiny transmitters that can be injected into the brain. How might this be possible?Once there they would line up alongside neurons and monitor the details of the brain’s activity. They would then be able to transmit that information to receivers inside a special helmet, allowing us to map the brain.
Put the sentences below in order:
Once you upload the brain onto the Internet and log on to that virtual world, your body can be left to decompose while your virtual self can play games for as long as you wish.However, there is still a problem. To exist on the net, your virtual self will have to reside on the computer of a web-hosting company.
Repeat & Read Sentences:
1. With the transmitters in place, you could think your way onto the Internet.
2. One plan relies on the development of nanotechnology.
3. For a futurist like Ray, this would be heaven, a virtual heaven.
4. To exist on the net, your virtual self will have to reside on the computer of a web-hosting company.
5. Tiny transmitters will be injected into the brain to monitor and map its activity.
6. If you could live forever, would you want to?
7.Once you upload your brain onto the internet，you can leave your body behind.