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Clothes can make phone calls, play music, dial your pals number, keep you warm during cold weather and operate your computer?

This is not a fantasy. A British company, called Electrotextiles, has created a wide range of clothes that have minds of their own! Scientists, working for the company, have invented a kind of fabric that can be mixed with flexible electronic materials to create intelligent clothing. The result are electronic garments.

If you think the wearer has to be wired to different devices, think again. These designer clothes are wire-free, soft to touch and washable! Like any electronic device, these high-tech clothes have to be powered. Currently, a tiny nine-volt (九伏特的) battery serves the purpose. But the researchers hope that in the near future the clothes will generate electricity by using body heat. “These clothes are 100 percent shock proof,” they say.

The Electrotextiles team has also created the worlds first cloth keyboard. This keyboard can be put into your trousers or skirt. To use this device, you will have to sit down and tap on your lap (膝蓋)! These “lap-tap” gadgets (小器具) are all set to take over laptop computers!

Another useful garment is the shirt-cum-mobile phone. This handy invention enables drivers to chat comfortably with others at the wheel! Other popular electronic wear include the denim (牛仔布) jacket with flexible earphones put into the hood (風帽) and the electronic ski jacket with a builtin heater. The ski jacket is also programmed to send signals to a satellite. This technology is known as global positioning system and can be used to track lost skiers and wandering kids.

Having completed the cloth keyboard, scientists have already started to work on a new project — a neck tie that can be used as a computer mouse. What is the next? Do you have any idea?

1. Why are the electronic garments similar to other electronic devices?

A. They feel smooth and soft. B. They use some other energy as power supply.

C. They can be washed in water. D. They are made from flexible materials.

2. How will researchers improve these high-tech clothes?

A. They contain 100 percent electronic materials. B. The wearer will not be wired.

C. A tiny nine-volt battery will work. D. They will get charged by body heat.

3. If you are going on an outdoor adventure, which device do you need?

A. The cloth keyboard. B. The electronic ski jacket.

C. The necktie to be used as a mouse. D. The denim jacket with earphones.

4. The main purpose of the text is ＿＿＿ .

A. to advertise for an English company B. to predict the future trend of science

C. to show how rapidly science develops D. to introduce some intelligent clothing