After a fortnight of extraordinary type, the much-feared computer virus that was supposed to strike the globe’s hard drives last Friday simply fizzled. So many warnings were sounded that most computer owners either fed anti-virus programs into their systems or refused to turn the power on during the dreaded M-day. They dodged one disease, but more strains are on the way. The eponymous Friday-the-13th virus is due to strike this week, and the Maltese Amoeba may detonate on March 15.
Who creates these things? A disproportionate number seems to originate in Bulgaria or Russia, where writing the smallest, most elegant virus programs has become a matter of quirky pride. Viruses are transmitted either by shared disks (as was Michelangelo) or over telephone lines. The virus program hides in a computer until, activated by a date, time, or some other trigger, it springs to life. The most common virus, Stoned, makes your screen announce: “Your computer is now stoned. Legalize marijuana. ” (Regardless of your politics, you don’t want this one around; it can damage your files inadvertently.) Solution: either keep your computer isolated—no trading disks, no on-line communication—or else install one of a dozen or so commercially available anti-virus programs that detect and delete the little time bombs. If they can come up with a virus that is hidden, will they next try to extort a business?—as in, pay me $1 million or my virus will destroy your system.
In the meantime, money is being made by firms selling anti-virus programs. Egghead software stores logged a 3,000 percent jump in anti-virus sales. Was the threat overblown by the companies that make millions selling anti-virus software? Thanks to the media blitz, no one will ever know what might have happened—an unallied number of computer owners discovered and deleted Michelangelo before it was supposed to strike—on the artist’s birthday.The much-feared M-day was ________.
| A．Friday-the-13th when the eponymous virus was due to strike |
| B．Friday-the-15th when the Maltese Amoeba would be activated |
| C．the previous Friday when Michelangelo virus was due to strike |
| D．the previous Friday which coincided with the artist's birthday |
Computer viruses are ________.
| A．diseases spread from one computer to another by shared disks |
| B．viruses hidden in a computer’s instructions by the designers |
| C．little time bombs hidden in a computer waiting to be triggered |
| D．just those computer programs created by malevolent designers |
Which of the following sayings fits the Michelangelo virus?
| A．A burnt child dreads the fire. | B．The bug’s bark was worse than its bite. |
| C．A barking dog seldom bites. | D．Once bitten, twice shy. |
The author implies that in days to come the viruses might be used ________.
| A．to destroy data | B．to commit crimes |
| C．to commit mischief | D．to create confusion |
Hybrid cars （混合动力车） are cars that run on petrol and electricity. They have a small standard petrol engine and a battery (电池) electric motor to provide electric power.
There are some differences between different models of hybrid cars, but the general principle is that the car runs on petrol, and the electric motor kicks in when additional power is required, for example, when going uphill or accelerating. In some hybrid cars the petrol engine turns itself off when not needed, for example when the car has stopped at traffic light, keeping only the electric engine running.
Conventional cars have large engines to deal with driving uphill and accelerating. Hybrid cars have much smaller petrol engines, improved by electric motors when needed, so they use less petrol. Another way that fuel consumption is cut is by a system of "regenerative (再生的) braking". The electric motor is used to slow down the car, rather than conventional brakes. The energy produced by slowing the car is changed into electrical power, which is automatically stored in the battery. In effect, the battery recharges when you brake. In conventional cars the energy produced when braking is wasted.
In 1928 Ferdinand Porsche built an experimental hybrid car. The first mass-produced hybrid car, the Toyota Prius, came out in Japan at the end of 1997. However, hybrid cars became available in the USA only in 1999. As they use less fuel, hybrid cars are cheaper to run. There are also many voices in place to encourage people to buy them. In some countries, hybrid car owners pay a lower rate of tax, and don't have to pay on certain roads. In some cities, hybrid cars are allowed to park for free. Hybrid cars consume less energy than conventional cars because hybrid cars _____.
| A．have large engines to deal with accelerating |
| B．have conventional brakes to slow down the car |
| C．have electric power to assist when needed |
| D．have no energy consumption when stopping |
In regenerative braking, _____.
| A．energy wasted in conventional cars is stored in the battery |
| B．the conventional brakes are used to slow down the car |
| C．the battery charges itself when the car is accelerating |
| D．the petrol engine is usually turned off automatically |
From the last paragraph we can learn that Hybrid cars ____.
| A．were first available in the USA |
| B．will gain more popularity |
| C．free their owners from tax |
| D．are free to park anywhere in the city |
The main purpose of this text is to_____.
| A．show haw hybrid cars slow down |
| B．encourage people to buy hybrid cars |
| C．inform people a kind of energy-saving cars |
| D．explain why hybrid cars use less energy |
Preparations are underway around the world for Chinese New Year (Feb 19) and celebrations in China will be mirrored across the planet wherever the Chinese Diaspora (华侨) calls home. Here are some Chinatowns for those outside of China wishing to mark the day.
London
Although it may not be as large or as long-built as others, having only become a center for the Chinese community during the 1950s, London's Chinatown is a perfectly formed little firework that knows how to see in the year with a bang. Decorated with red lanterns (灯笼), previous years have seen shows with acrobatics (杂技), martial arts (武术), dance and opera nearby.
San Francisco
San Francisco's Chinatown is perhaps the most famous in the United States. The city was the main entry-point for Chinese who had crossed the Pacific to the USA during the early 19th century. Between the Grant Avenue and the Stockton Street, this historic area is a local treasure, attracting more visitors per year than the Golden Gate Bridge.
Bangkok
With a more than 100-year-old history, the Thai capital's Chinatown contains complex streets offering all kinds of tasty treats, clothes, toys and antiques. Sunday market days are such a good time to get the full atmosphere of the neighborhood. The area is also known for its gold dealers, whose shops line the road.
Mauritius
Found in Port Louis, this Mauritian Chinatown shows the island nation's rich multicultural diversity. Established in the early years of the 20th century by settlers from China, its tiny shops and restaurants serve locals and visitors. During the Chinese Spring Festival, the most exciting sight is the Dragon Dances on Rue Royale when Chinese musicians and dancers perform the traditional Lion dances through the streets.According to the text, which of the following has the longest history?
| A．London's Chinatown. |
| B．Bangkok's Chinatown. |
| C．Mauritius's Chinatown. |
| D．San Francisco's Chinatown. |
What's special about Bangkok's Chinatown?
| A．It is crowded with Chinese restaurants. |
| B．It is well-known for its gold business. |
| C．It was the major entrance for the Chinese. |
| D．It is where you can enjoy fireworks. |
If you want to enjoy the Dragon Dances, you can go to ____.
| A．Rue Royale in Port Louis, Mauritius |
| B．the Sunday market in Bangkok |
| C．the Grant Avenue in San Francisco |
| D．the Chinese community in London |
Instagram is containing so many photos of food—now a pop-up diner in London is taking advantage of this new trend by letting people settle the bill for their meals simply by uploading photos of their dishes to social networks.
I always thought people's taking pictures of their food was kind of silly, but at this new pop-up restaurant in the UK, I'd probably do it too. 'The Picture House' is the world's first pay-by-photo restaurant—you order, click a photo of the food, share on Instagram and eat for free!
The restaurant belongs to frozen food giant (巨人) Birds Eye, who came up with the idea to cash in on people's addiction with photographing food and sharing the pictures online. They conducted a survey and found out that more than half of the British population regularly took pictures of their meals. So they realized it was a better way to advertise their new dining range.
The pop-up diner was open in Soho, London for three days in May, and is now moving to other major UK cities. They serve two-course meals that customers don't have to pay for, if they photo and Instagram it.
The restaurant is a part of Birds Eye's 'Food for Life' campaign, a new marketing project that aims at changing the way people look at frozen food. "Taking photos of food enables people to show off and to share their mealtime moments—from the everyday to the special," said marketing director Margaret Jobling.
The reaction to The Picture House has been great so far. And the pay-by-picture concept has proven to be an effective way. Alternative payment methods are actually gaining popularity among a lot of businesses. Last year, in a cafe in Germany customers pay by how much time they spend there, not by what they eat.Instagram probably is ____.
| A．a restaurant free of charge |
| B．a campaign of "Food for Life" |
| C．a new marketing project |
| D．a program used to share photos |
What's the author's attitude to this new trend?
| A．Opposed. |
| B．Interested. |
| C．Confused. |
| D．Unconcerned. |
'The Picture House' encourages sharing photos of its food to ____.
| A．attract more customers |
| B．raise the price of frozen food |
| C．create a new social media trend |
| D．reward the regular customers |
Which of the following can serve as the best title for the passage?
| A．No Need to Pay. |
| B．The Pop-up Diner. |
| C．Pay by Picture. |
| D．Food for Life. |
Some of the most painful moments I spend as a vet (兽医 ) are those spent with my customers assisting my animal patients from this world to the next. Making this final decision is not easy, and I have often felt powerless to comfort the sorrowful owners.
That was before I met Shane.
I had been called to examine a ten-year-old dog named Belker who had developed a serious health problem. The dog's owner—Ron, his wife, Lisa, and their little boy, Shane—were hoping for a miracle (奇迹). But I told the family there were no miracles left for Belker, and offered to perform the euthanasia (安乐死) for the old dog in their home. As we made the arrangements, Ron and Lisa told me they thought it would be good for the four-year-old Shane to observe the euthanasia. They felt Shane could learn something from the experience.
The next day, I felt the familiar catch in my throat as Belker's family surrounded him.
Shane seemed so calm, patting the old dog for the last time, that I wondered if he understood what was going on.
A few minutes later, Belker slipped peacefully away. The little boy seemed to accept Belker's death without any difficulty or confusion. We sat together for a little while after Belker's death, wondering aloud about the sad fact that animal lives are shorter than human lives.
Shane, who had been listening quietly, piped up: "I know why."
Shocked, we all turned to him. What came out of his mouth next astonished me. I'd never heard a more comforting explanation.
He said, "Everybody is born so they can learn how to live a good life: like loving everybody and being nice, right?" The four-year-old continued, "Well, animals already know how to do that, so they don't have to stay as long." Shane's parents wanted Shane to witness the euthanasia mainly because ____.
| A．they hoped he could gain something from it |
| B．they knew he hated to part with Belker |
| C．they wanted him to remember Belker forever |
| D．they intended him to learn to carry out euthanasia |
What can we learn from the third paragraph?
| A．Belker got sick mainly because of lack of care. |
| B．There was no hope for Belker to recover but to suffer. |
| C．Shane didn't feel sad about Belker's death. |
| D．Belker didn't want to live any longer because of the pain. |
We can infer from the underlined sentence that____.
| A．words failed the vet when he tried to comfort Belker's family |
| B．the vet was familiar with the feelings of Belker's family |
| C．the vet would rather not perform the euthanasia |
| D．the vet's throat was uncomfortable with Belker's family around |
What would the author say about Shane?
| A．He knew little about animal lives. |
| B．He felt unexpected about Belker's death. |
| C．He had a unique opinion about life. |
| D．He was an outgoing and warm-hearted boy. |
Scientists are racing to build the world's first thinking robot. This is not science fiction： some say they will have made it by the year 2020，Carol Packer reports.
Machines that walk, speak and feel are no longer science fiction. Kismet is the name of an android (人形机器人）which scientists have built at the Massa-chusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). Kismet is different from the traditional robot because it can show human emotions. Its eyes, ears and lips move to show when it feels happy, sad or bored. Kismet is one of the first of a new generation of androids—robots that look like human beings—which can imitate human feelings. Cog, another android invented by the MIT, imitates the action of a mother. However, scientists admit that so far Cog has the mental ability of a two-year-old.
The optimists (乐观主义者） say that by the year2020 we will have created humanoids (人形机器人） with brains similar to those of all adult human beings. These robots will be designed to look like people to make them more attractive and easier to sell to the public. What kind of jobs will they do? In the future, robots like Robonaut , a humanoid invented by NASA, will be doing dangerous jobs, like repairing space stations. They will also be doing more and more of the household work for us. In Japan, scientists are designing androids that will entertain us by dancing and playing the piano.
Some people worry about what the future holds：Will robots become monsters(怪物）？ Will people themselves become increasingly like robots? Experts predict that more and more people will be wearing micro-computers，connected to the Internet, in the future. People will have micro-chips in various parts of their body, which will connect them to a wide variety of gadgets (小装置）. Perhaps we should not exaggerate (夸大）the importance of technology, but one wonders whether, in years to come，we will still be falling in love, and whether we will still feel pain. Who knows? Kismet is different from traditional robots because __________.
| A．it thinks for itself |
| B．it is not like science fiction |
| C．it can look after two-year-old children |
| D．it seems to have human feelings |
What makes Cog special?
| A．It looks like a mother. |
| B．It behaves like a child. |
| C．It can imitate the behavior of a mother. |
| D．It has a huge brain. |
In about 10 years' time from now, robots __________
| A．will become space designers |
| B．will look like monsters |
| C．will behave like animals |
| D．will think like humans |
In the future robots will also __________.
| A．explore space |
| B．entertain people |
| C．move much faster |
| D．do all of the housework |
What is the writer's attitude to robots in the future?
| A．Critical. |
| B．Hostile. |
| C．Objective. |
| D．Enthusiastic. |