Rather than using custom machine tools to build early models of new parts, Ford is now using 3-D printing technology to design and test its engineers’ latest ideas. The new method allows product developers to have a _1_ in their hands in as little as a week after they create a new design-compared with having to wait three to four months _2_.

“We’re building more and more parts every day using this _3_,”says Harold Sears,a technical expert in rapid manufacturing at Ford’s design facility in Dearborn, Mich. Ford’s new hybrid transmission was developed on a 3-D printer that costs about $300,000 and which can turn a pile of aluminum powder into a working prototype in a day or two.

While low-cost 3-D printing by consumers and small businesses looks like a market now ready for takeoff, large businesses have already _4_ advanced versions of the technology. The result has been a _5_ improvement in the product-development process across a wide range of industries, including the _6_ of cars, consumer electronics, safety equipment and medical devices.

The process has done more than just save time and money. Engineers say rapid prototyping using 3-D printing is producing more _7_, higher-quality products—from custom-fitted bicycle helmets to better-sounding ear buds and loudspeakers.

Instead of waiting for tools and parts to come back from outside machine shops or injection, molding houses, product developers on tight _8_ now get more hands-on time to test their models. 3-D printers allow them to test and _9_ more versions of their prototypes—in some cases tripling the number of duplicates of a new product that can be _10_ before being produced on a large scale.

A)previously B) thereafter C) process D) elastic

E) deadlines F) manufacturing G) significant H) innovative

I)ignited J) embraced K) lubricate L) prototype

M) refined N) update O) mechanisms

答案：

1.[L]冠词a提示空格处应填入名词。该段概括介绍了 3-D打印这一新技术,首句指出运用新技术建造初期模型，第2句则补充说明该技术的优势。根据上下文和空格后的in their hands可推知，空格所需名词应与early models 同义，故选用 prototype

2.[A]此处需填人副词，修饰have to wait...。根据本句内容可知，有了 3-D打印技术之后，等待模具的时间大大缩短，而不像“以前”要等3、4个月，可见此处应选用previously。

3.[C] this提示此处应填入名词，且该名词在上文有具体所指。上文提到的主要内容是3-D打印这一“新技术”,此处的名词应该带有“技术”、“方法”等类似的意思,据此在名词库中选用process。

4.[J]解答本题需先弄清advanced的词性。这里advanced是形容词“先进的”,用于修饰名词versions。因此空格处应填入过去分词与have already连用，充当句子谓语。词库中embraced“采用”符合语境,说明一些大企 业使用了这种技术。

5.[G] a... improvement提示空格处应填人名词、形容词或分词作定语。根据后面提到的这一技术在各行业的应用，可知其影响重大，应选用包含积极意义的词汇。不定完词a提示不能选用innovative,词库中 significant符合句意。

6.[F]定冠词the提示此处应填入名词。前面讲到福特汽车采用3-D打印技术制造最初模型，可知该技术可运用于汽车制造，词库中manufacturing符合句意。

7.[H] more...和higher-quality并列作定语修饰products。本段仍然是讲3-D技术的优点，故推断空格是一个褒义词,innovative符合句意。

8.[E]空格应填入名词，与on tight...构成介词短语，作后置定语修饰前面的product developers。空格前的tight“紧的”与后面的more hands-on time前后形成对比，由此可见3-D技术出现之前产品研发人员的时间紧迫，deadlines填入文中构成短语on tight deadlines，表示“时间紧迫，限期很短”，符合上下文语境。英语六级及格线

9.[N]空格前的and表明空格应该是和test并列的动词原形。根据其后所接的宾语more versions of their prototypes,选用update，意为“研发人员可以利用3-D打印技术不断测试和更新模具”。

10.[M]此处应填入名词、形容词或动词的分词形式。3-D打印技术主要应用于产品的研发、调整阶段，因此产品在正式投人生产前还可以修改。填入空格的词应包含“修改，调整”之意，动词refined“精炼;使完善”符合句意。