Imagine you need to send an important document (文件) far away as soon as possible. How would you do it? Chances are that you would use email or a smartphone app. However, for many people, the answer to that question is the fax machine.
The first fax machine was invented in 1843 by Alexander Bain. Then in 1964, modern fax machines became widely available. In the1980s and 1990s, they were considered the fastest and safest way to send information.
With the development of technology, you might think email would have made the fax machine a thing of the past, but you’d be wrong. The number of faxes sent each year is only growing. One explanation is that fax machines are still easier to use for documents that are written by hand. But the real reason for their continued use has to do with security.
Email is convenient, but it can be hacked (非法入侵).This is a danger for governments, hospitals, and other organizations that deal with sensitive data (数据). Using a fax machine allows information to go directly from one place to another without needing to be saved on a computer. It can then be kept in a physical location where it’s more difficult to steal.
Fax machine technology grew quickly throughout the nineteenth and twentieth centuries, and it continues to develop today. Long live the fax machine!
【小题1】The fax machine has a history of ________ years.| A．32 | B．42 | C．58 | D．179 |
| A．敏感的 | B．复杂的 | C．客观的 | D．精确的 |
| A．it’s faster | B．it’s safer |
| C．it’s more convenient | D．it’s more developed |
| A．is only used in the hospitals | B．is hardly developing today |
| C．makes email a thing of the past | D．can send documents written by hand |
| A．Future Music | B．Wild World | C．Science Study | D．Star Stories |
