In Miami, thousands of students have been out of class for some days because of Hurricane Wilma. Educational officials are worried about the long break will affect students’ school performance.
“We think that the sooner we get back to business, the better,” said Rudy Crew, headmaster of Miami-Dade School. 360, 000 students in this area will return to class on Thursday, 10 days after Wilma hit South Florida.
More than half the district’s 327 school buildings were seriously damaged when Wilma struck on October 24, and 270 buildings lost electrical power. About 30 buildings are still out of power, but lights may be back on Thursday when students return. In Broward County, schools will remain closed through Friday, because more than 100 buildings have been damaged after the storm. With traffic affected by broken stoplights, officials are worried about the safety of children traveling to and from school.
In Miami-Dade County, the nation’s fourth largest school district, officials are considering ways to make up for lost time. They may make the school year longer and reduce days from two-week holiday break in late December, said spokesman John Schuster.
Some parents also worry about the effect of lost school days. “They’re missing important tests and lessons that they are going to need. And how do you catch up with that lost time? It just disappears,” a high school student’s mother said.
“Although things are difficult, students’ performance in hurricane-damaged district may not be seriously affected by the hurricane”, said Florida Education Commissioner John Winn. “It turned out that hurricane-affected districts showed more learning gains than other districts in previous years. They have learned how to fight against disaster in any time. Things will turn better anyway.”
40. When will students return to school in the district?
A. October 24. B. October 31.
C. November 3. D. November 7.
41. Which of the following statements is NOT true according to the passage?
A. Many school buildings were seriously damaged.
B. Many school buildings lost electrical power.
C. Some parents also worry about their kids’ studies.
D. Some students got killed when they were at school.
42. According to the passage, we know that _____.
A. maybe students will not have the two-week holiday in late December as usual
B. the school buildings which lost electrical power have all returned to normal
C. some parents don’t think the hurricane affect their children’s performance much
D. John Winn thought that students’ performance would get worse due to the hurricane
43. Which of the following is the best title of the passage?
A. Hurricane Wilma hit South Florida
B. Parents worry about children’ education
C. Hurricane Wilma affected school days
D. Damage by the Hurricane Wilma
The global population is living longer，and getting older，which presents new challenges. “The question becomes：who will take care of everyone? While people will always be the best caregivers for people，there just aren’t enough people. That’s where robotic technology can really make a difference,” says Professor Maja Mataric at the University of Southern California.
Her group is developing robots to work with stroke (中风) patients and elderly people. The research team has found that people react well to a robot gym instructor，and seem to get less frustrated with it than with instructions given on a computer screen. The robot can act as a perfect trainer，with infinite(极大的) patience.
“People say things like ‘I prefer this robot to my husband！Can I take it home?’” according to Professor Mataric. “In fact there’s a really important point here. As we create these care giving technologies，we’re helping not only the people that need the care，but also the people caring for them. We can give them a break，and help them avoid burnout.”
People are going to have to like，and importantly trust robots before they welcome them into their homes，and several groups around the world are working on making it easier to communicate with them.
Much of human communication takes place through body language. Gestures， eye contact , and concepts of personal space are all things that robots are being taught. In learning about how people interact(互动) with machines，researchers are also discovering new roles for robots in our lives. Robots can communicate with humans in ways that other technologies can not.
“If someone finds the robot to be more persuasive and more reliable，that’s going to affect how they interact with it,” says Dr Cynthia Breazeal, director of the Personal Robots Group at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. “We can now start to think about fields where it’s the social interaction，which is the main means by which a robot helps someone.” Dr Breazeal says that means robots could be used in education，learning，and health care，where social support is important.Professor Maja Mataric mainly focused on robots’ function of ________.
| A．teaching | B．exploring |
| C．making things | D．giving care |
Why can robots be wonderful trainers in the gym?
| A．Because they are more clever. |
| B．Because they give correct instructions. |
| C．Because they cost less money. |
| D．Because they are more patient. |
The underlined word “burnout” in Paragraph 3 probably means “________”．
| A．feeling tired | B．feeling angry |
| C．getting hurt | D．becoming disappointed |
The scientists are presently working hard to help robots.
| A．to use less electricity | B．to communicate better |
| C．to react more quickly | D．to have more functions |
Once a general manager wanted to test his people, who had come from all over India, about their values of life. He announced that in their folders(文件夹), there is PVC pouch and in it there is a seed. When they return, they must put the seed in a pot with good soil and look after it very well. He would hold a competition at the next year’s seminar and the best plants would be awarded suitably.
Everyone did what was told to him. A year passed quickly. And the next year in a big hall, what a great scene! There were hundreds of pots and a great variety of plants-all except one. In this pot was soil, but no plant! The owner of the pot was standing quietly and feeling ashamed of himself.
The general manager called him on the stage. He asked him what happened and he told him the truth. He planted the seed, which he was given, and did what was to be done - but nothing happened!
The general manager declared(宣布) him the winner! Everyone was shocked.
It was announced, "Gentlemen! The seeds I gave you were boiled seeds. You planted them and nothing happened! You acted smartly and used some other seeds. This man was honest to his work and therefore, he did not cheat me or himself!"What’s the general manager’s purpose of giving a seed to each of his employees?
| A．He wanted to get some beautiful plants. |
| B．He wanted to improve his employees’ planting skill |
| C．He wanted to enrich his employees’ life. |
| D．He wanted to know whether his employees are honest. |
The man in the passage failed to get the plant because.
| A．he didn’t take good care of his seed |
| B．he wasn’t good at planting |
| C．his seed wasn’t as good as the other people’s |
| D．the seed had been boiled |
Why was everyone shocked after they heard the general manager’s declaration?
| A．They didn’t understand why the man failed to get the plant. |
| B．They didn’t understand why the man was the winner. |
| C．They didn’t know why the manager gave him the best seed. |
| D．They didn’t know why they couldn’t get the plants. |
The author wanted to tell us the importance of by writing this passage.
| A．being careful |
| B．being honest |
| C．knowing how to plant |
| D．knowing how to please the manager |
One of the most important things in the world is friendship. In order to have friends, you have to be a good friend. But how can you be a good friend at school?
Listen—Listen when they are talking. Don’t say anything unless they ask you a question. Sometimes it’s not necessary for you to have anything to say; they just need someone to talk to about their feelings.
Help them—If your friend is ever in need of something, be there to help them. You should try to put them first, but make sure you don’t do everything they want you to do. Try to take an extra pencil or pen with you to classes in case they forget one. Have a little extra money in your pocket in case they forget something they need.
Be there for them—Be there for your friends to help make them feel better in hard times. Marilyn Monroe, a famous U.S. actor, once said, “I often make mistakes. Sometimes I am out of control, but if you can’t stay with me at my worst, you are sure not to deserve to be with me at my best.” Always remember this! If you don’t want to stay with your friends when they’re in hard times, then you don’t deserve to be with them when they’re having a good time!
_________—Try to make plans with your friends. Go shopping, go for ice cream, have a party, go to a movie and so on. Take time to know each other even better by doing something you both enjoy. By planning things together, you both can have a good time. And you’ll remember these things when you’re all old!While your friend is talking to you about his or her feelings, you should __________.
| A．give him or her some advice | B．calm him or her down |
| C．just listen unless asked | D．share your feelings as well |
What can we learn from Marilyn Monroe’s words?
| A．Life without a friend is death. |
| B．A friend is easier lost than found. |
| C．A man is known by his friends. |
| D．A friend in need is a friend indeed. |
Which of the following can be put in the blank of the last paragraph?
| A．Enjoy yourself | B．Make plans |
| C．Understand your friends | D．Play with your friends |
The passage is mainly about _______.
| A．how to find a good friend |
| B．how to help friends in trouble |
| C．How to be a good friend |
| D．how to make more friends |
An ageing society is one in which the population of people over the age of 60 is increasing. This is a social problem. Can we solve it with the help of robots?
Researchers are placing robotic dogs in the homes of lonely old people to determine whether they can improve the quality of life for humans. Alan Beck,an expert in human animal relationship ,and Nancy Edwards, a professor of nursing, are leading the animal assisted study concerning the influence of robotic dogs on old people’s depression, physical activity, and left satisfaction. ”No one will argue that an older person is better off being more active, challenged, or stimulated(刺激),”Edwards points out.” The problem is how we promote (促进)that, especially for those without friends or help. A robotic dog could be a solution.”
In the study, the robot, called AIBO, is placed for six weeks in the houses of some old people who live alone. Before placing AIBO in the home, researchers will collect baseline data for six weeks. These old people will keep a diary to note their feelings and activity before and after AIBO. Then, the researchers will review the data to determine if it has inspired any changes in the life of its owner.
”I talk to him all the time, and he responds to my voice,” says a seventy year old lady, ”When I’m watching TV, he’ll stay in my arms until he wants down. He has a mind of his own.”
The AIBOs respond to certain orders. The researchers say they have some advantages over live dogs, especially for old people. Often the elderly are disabled and cannot care for an animal by walking it or playing with it. A robotic dog removes exercise and feeding concerns.
”At the beginning, it was believed that no one would relate to the robotic dog, because it was metal and not furry.” Beck says.” But it’s amazing how quickly we have given up that belief.”
”Hopefully, down the road, these robotic pets could become a more valuable health helper. They will record their masters’ blood pressure, oxygen levels. Or heart rhythms. AIBOs may even one day have games that can help stimulate older people’s minds.”Which of the following can be the best title?
| A．Dogs and the Old |
| B．Medical Examination and the Old |
| C．Robots Serving the Old |
| D．Dogs Needn’t Feeding |
The purpose of Beck and Edwards’ study is to____ .
| A．understand humananimal relationship |
| B．make lonely old people’s life better |
| C．find the causes of old people’s loneliness |
| D．promote the animalassisted research |
What is the advantage of AIBO over live dogs?
| A．It is easier to keep at home. |
| B．It can help the disabled people. |
| C．It responds to all the human orders. |
| D．It can watch TV with its owner. |
The author seems to suggest that the future robotic dogs may.
| A．cure certain diseases |
| B．keep old people active |
| C．change people’s beliefs |
| D．look more like real dogs |
I always felt sorry for the people in wheelchairs. Some people, old and weak, cannot get around by themselves. Others seem perfectly healthy, dressed in business suits. But whenever I saw someone in a wheelchair, I only saw a disability, not a person.
Then I fainted(昏倒)at Euro Disney due to low blood pressure. This was the first time I had ever fainted, and my parents insisted that I rest for a while after first aid. They said to me, “Never mind!” I agreed to take it easy, but as I stepped toward the door, I saw my dad pushing a wheelchair in my direction! Feeling the color burn my cheeks, I asked him to wheel that thing right back to where he found it.
I could not believe this was happening to me. Wheelchairs were fine for other people but not for me, as my father wheeled me out into the main street, people immediately began to treat me differently.
Little kids ran in front of me, forcing my father to stop the wheelchair suddenly. Bitterness set in as I was thrown back and forth.
”Stupid kids! They have perfectly good legs. Why can’t they watch where they are going?” I thought. People stared down at me, pity in their eyes. Then they would look away, maybe because they thought the sooner they forgot me the better.
”I’m just like you!” I wanted to scream.” The only difference is you’ve got legs, and I have wheels.”
People in wheelchairs are not stupid. They see every look and hear each word. Looking out at the faces, I finally understood: I was once just like them. I treated people in wheelchairs exactly the way they did not want to be treated. I realized it is some of us with two healthy legs who are truly disabled.What do the underlined words mean in Paragraph 2?
| A．Don’t mind. |
| B．Don’t worry. |
| C．Don’t forget it. |
| D．Don’t hurry. |
The author oncewhen she was healthy.
| A．helped disabled people |
| B．looked down upon disabled people |
| C．imagined herself sitting in a wheelchair |
| D．saw some healthy people moving around in wheelchairs |
The experience of the author tells us that.
| A．life is the best teacher |
| B．people often eat their bitter fruit |
| C．life is so changeable that nobody can foretell |
| D．one should not do to others what he would not like others to do to him |