In a few years, you might be able to speak Chinese, Korean, Japanese, French, and English -- and all at the same time. This sounds incredible, but Alex Waibel, a computer science professor at US' s Carnegie Mellon University (CMU) and Germany' s University of Karlsruhe, announced last week that it may soon be reality. He and his team have invented software and hardware that could make it far easier for people who speak different languages to understand each other.
One application, called Lecture Translation, can easily translate a speech from one language into another. Current translation technologies typically limit speakers to certain topics or a limited vocabulary. Users also have to be trained how to use the programme.
Another prototype (雏形机) can send translations of a speech to different listeners depending on what language they speak. "It is like having a simultaneous translator right next to you but without disturbing the person next to you," Waibel said.
Prefer to read? So-called Translation Glasses transcribe (转录) the translations on a tiny liquid-crystal(液晶) display (LCD) screen.
Then there' s the Muscle Translator. Electrodes (电极) capture the electrical signals from facial muscle movements made naturally when a person is mouthing words. The signals are then translated into speech. The electrodes could be replaced with wireless chips implanted (植入) in a person' s face, according to researchers.
During a demonstration (演示) held last Thursday in CMU' s Pittsburgh campus, a Chinese student named Stan Jou had 11 tiny electrodes attached to the muscles of his cheeks, neck and throat. Then he mouthed -- without speaking aloud -- a few words in Mandarin(普通话) to the audience. A few seconds later, the phrase was displayed on a computer screen and spoken out by the computer in English and Spanish: "Let me introduce our new prototype".
This particular gadget (器械), when fully developed, might allow anyone to speak in any number of languages or, as Waibel put it, "to switch your mouth to a foreign language". "The idea behind the university' s prototypes is to create 'good enough' bridges for cross-cultural exchanges that are becoming more common in the world," Waibel said.
With spontaneous (自发的) translators, foreign drivers in Germany could listen to traffic warnings on the radio, tourists in China could read all the signs and talk with local people, and leaders of different countries could have secret talks without any interpreters there. What kind of prototype did the Chinese student named Stan Jou try?
A.Lecture Translation. | B.Translation Glasses. |
C.Muscle Translator. | D.We don' t know. |
What is the purpose of inventing the translators?
A.To help students to learn English. |
B.To help people to watch foreign TV programs. |
C.To help people travel in foreign countries. |
D.To promote cultural exchanges between countries. |
What is the best title of this text?
A.Speak different languages at the same time? |
B.Flow to learn to speak foreign languages? |
C.New ways to learn foreign languages |
D.You' r![]() |
①It’s “laughably absurd” on one blog and a “magical revolution” on another.Bloggers are talking about the same device—the Apple iPad, which hit store shelves last week.
②Tech-heads hate the iPad because it has many functions—you can e-mail, browse the Web, read books—but it has no specialty.There are other devices on the market that do all its functions faster, cheaper and more efficiently.Get a Blackberry to scan e-mails or any old laptop to access the Internet.
③This first version of the iPad lacks many basic features.Tech-heads dislike the device not because of what it offers, but because of what it doesn’t offer.It doesn’t have Flash, and it doesn’t have a camera.It can’t access many of the world’s mobile applications, and it has a very restricted apple store.Based on purely technological grounds, the iPad is said to lack more than it gives.
④But if you are not a crazy tech-head, and you love the iPod and iPhone, “this device is for you,” said Steve Jobs, Apple’s CEO.The iPad will take online activities truly mobile.It will allow you to read the news in bed, check a recipe in a busy kitchen or view a large-scale Google map.
⑤Perhaps most important to the masses, it is a traditional computer without trouble.There are wireless, but it’s totally mobile.You press a button and it comes on in seconds.To add a program, you just download it from the Internet.Since almost everyone uses a computer in the office or at school, the need for the traditional desktop model at home is disappearing.Slate Magazine’s Farhad Manjoo calls the iPad the perfect alternative to the home computer system.
⑥But no matter how you feel about the iPad, as a tech-head or an everyman, there’s no arguing with its appeal.Love it or hate it, the iPad sold over 600,000 units on its opening weekend, surpassing the iPhone’s record sales in 2007.
61.What can be the best title for the text?
A.Loving and hating the iPad B.An exciting invention
C.A home computer substitute D.The iPad—a wise choice
62.According to the text, which of the following is Not true of the iPad?
A.It can access the Internet. B.It is wireless but portable.
C.It can play any online video. D.It can help you scan e-mail.
63.Which of the following best shows the structure of the text?
64.Farhad Manjoo’s attitude towards the iPad might be that of ______.
A.doubt B.unconcern C.sympathy D.support
65.Tech-heads dislike the iPad because of ______.
A.its after-sale services B.its high price
C.its function shortagesD.its slow speed
Archaeologists believe they are on the turning point of throwing light on the life of William Shakespeare — by excavating (发掘) what may have been the playwright’s dust hole.
Experts have begun excavating the ruins of New Place, Shakespeare’s former home in Stratford-upon-Avon, which was destroyed 250 years ago.Although little remains of the property, the team, led by Birmingham Archaeology, believes it has identified a dust hole used by the 16th century poet.
Small pieces of pottery (陶瓷) and broken clay pipe have already been found from a muddy hole on the site, which they claim could yield some of the most significant discoveries about Shakespeare in decades.The dig focuses on three areas of the property, which Shakespeare bought in 1597 when he returned to his home town from London having achieved fame — including the so-called knot garden at the back of the building.
Dr Diana Owen, Director of the Shakespeare Birthplace Trust, which owns the site, said, “We do not know if the knot garden was an area used by Shakespeare — it may have been a yard simply used by his servants.But this could actually yield some fantastic results, especially if it was an area where rubbish was thrown or the dust hole was located.”
Kevin Colls, from Birmingham Archaeology, added, “Through documentary evidence we know Shakespeare lived at New Place but we have very little information regarding the layout (布局) of the house and gardens at this time.Through archaeological fieldwork, in particular the dig of structural remains and the recovery of artefacts, we hope to fill in the blanks.”
Until October, visitors will be able to watch archaeologists and volunteers at work as they excavate the remains of the house, which was knocked down in 1759.Experts hope to unearth evidence to support theories that Shakespeare wrote many of his most famous works at the property.
71.This excavation intends to ______.
A.know something about the playwright’s dust hole
B.search for some treasure in the dust hole
C.explore the life of William Shakespeare
D.find something that Shakespeare lost
72.New Place was destroyed in the ______ century.
A.15th B.16th C.17th D.18th
73.Small pieces of pottery and broken clay pipe on the site ______.
A.could show Shakespeare’s luxurious life
B.could lead to important discoveries about Shakespeare
C.could show us that Shakespeare lived at New Place
D.could prove when New Place was knocked down
74.The underlined phrase “the blanks” in Paragraph 5 refers to ______.
A.the ruins of New Place
B.the smallest pieces of broken pottery
C.three areas of the property
D.the layout of the house and gardens of New Place
75.What can we learn from the text?
A.Shakespeare used to live at New Place.
B.Shakespeare became famous after 1597.
C.Only his servants used the knot garden.
D.Dr Diana Owen owns Shakespeare’s property.
第三部分阅读理解(共20小题;每小题2分, 满分40分)
阅读下列短文, 从每题所给的四个选项(A、B、C和D)中, 选出最佳选项, 并在答题卡上将该项涂黑。
Making greener choices and encouraging healthy lifestyles can promote your health and benefit the environment.Here are some guidelines to follow:
Choose foods thoughtfully
Americans have never had such a variety or abundance of food to choose from.Besides so many choices, we now hear about our “food print”, the amount of land needed to supply one person’s nutritional needs for a year.Do we buy cherry tomatoes from Mexico or tomatoes grown locally in a hothouse? Do we get the Granny Smiths from the farmers’ market or the supermarket? Is organic produce healthier for us and the planet?
These are very complex issues that require analysis of many criteria, including the energy used in producing and transporting the food, as well as the type of soil and methods of raising the food.
Despite the complexities, there are some general guidelines you can follow.For instance, eat less meat or eat low on the food chain.Your doctor may have recommended you to restrict your consumption of red meat because of its too much fat content.Beyond that, there are environmental reasons, too.Raising food animals contributes substantially to climate change because a meat-based diet requires more land, energy and water than a plant-based one.
Drinking plenty of fluids is significant during hot weather or when exercising.But is bottled water the way to go? You may not think so when seeing the true costs.Based on a survey, manufacturing the 30-plus billion plastic water bottles can produce more than 2.5 million tons of carbon dioxide and use three times the amount of water in the bottle.Adding in transportation, the energy used comes to over 50 million barrels of oil equivalent (等价物).Consequently, skip the bottled water and drink tap water, both at home and at restaurants.Additionally, bottled water is not necessarily cleaner than tap.
56.In Paragraph 2 the author puts forward three questions mainly ______.
A.to prove Americans have less food to choose from
B.to show us the shopping habits of most Americans
C.to indicate Americans tend to buy food from abroad
D.to remind people to reconsider their food purchase
57.The doctor recommends eating less red meat partly because ______.
A.it contains too much fat
B.it costs a lot in transportation
C.it is too low on the food chain
D.it isn’t related to climate change
58.According to the text, which of the following is true?
A.Americans all prefer to buy cherry tomatoes from Mexico.
B.The plant-based diet is responsible for the climate change.
C.Americans have a variety of food to choose from.
D.Organic produce is the only choice for Americans.
59.Based on the last paragraph, we know that ______.
A.bottled water is cleaner than tap water
B.tap water is economical as well as eco-friendly
C.bottled water is more available than tap water
D.tap water uses one-third the cost of bottled water
60.What is the best subtitle for the last paragraph?
A.Skip bottled water, carry tap B.Drink bottled water
C.Produce plastic water bottles D.Save water resources
Before the widespread use of computers, managers could not make full use of large amounts of valuable information about a company’s activities. The information either reached managers too late or was too expensive to be used. Today, managers are facing a wide range of data processing and information instruments. In place of a few financial controls, managers can draw on computer-based information systems to control activities in every area of their company. On any kinds at performance measures, the information provided by these systems helps managers compare standards with actual results, find out problems, and take corrective action before it is too late to make changes.
The introduction of computerized information systems has sharply changed management control in many companies. Even a neighborhood shopkeeper may now use computers to control sales and other activities. In large companies, electronic data processing systems monitor entire projects and sets of operations.
Now, there are about 24 million microcomputers in use in the United States, one for every 10 citizens. It is estimated that by 1996, 61 percent of American managers will be using some sort of electronic workstation. In order for managers to be sure that the computer-based information they are receiving is accurate, they need to understand how computers work. However, in most cases they do not need to learn how to program computers. Rather, managers should understand how computerized information systems work; how they are developed; their limitations and costs; and the manner in which information system may be used. Such an understanding is not difficult to achieve.
One research found that business firms were more successful in teaching basic information about computers to business graduates than they were in teaching business subjects to computer science graduates.
46. In the second paragraph the author mentions a neighborhood shopkeeper to show that _____.
A. few people could afford a computer
B. computer is now becoming more and more widely used in business
C. only shopkeepers are wealthy enough to buy computers
D. computer is far more intelligent than man as far as business is concerned
47. From the third paragraph we learn that ________.
A. it is essential that managers know how to program computers
B. managers may sometimes receive inaccurate information from computers
C. in most companies, an employee has to share a computer with at least 9 other employees
D. computerized information system is perfect in every way
48. All of the following statements are true EXCEPT that _________.
A. computer science graduates are quick to learn business subjects because of their professional knowledge about computers
B. with the help of computers, company mangers are now more informed of what’s going on in their companies
C. computer is a great help for business management
D. computerized information enables managers to take timely measures to prevent possible mistakes
49. According to the passage, which of the following statements is right?
A. It’s a difficult task for the managers to deal with a wide range of computer-based information daily.
B. The introduction of computerized information system is a revolution in management
C. In order to perform good management, managers need to have much knowledge about computer.
D. A good knowledge of computer leads managers to success
50. What is the passage mainly about?
A. How to teach information about computers to business graduates.
B. Computer’s growing popularity nationwide.
C. Application of computer in business management.
D. Computer training program for mangers.
Ⅲ. 阅读(共两节,满分40分)
第一节阅渎理解(共15小题;每小题2分,满分30分)
阅读下列短文,从每题所给的A、B、C和D项中,选出最佳选项并在答题卡上将该项涂黑。
It all began with a stop at a red light.
Philanthropy Kevin Salwen, a writer and entrepreneur in Atlanta, was driving his 14-year-old daughter, Hannah, back from a sleepover in 2006. While waiting at a traffic light, they saw a black Mercedes coupe on one side and a homeless man begging for food on the other.
“Dad, if that man had a less nice car, that man there could have a meal,” Hannah protested. The light changed and they drove on, but Hannah was too young to be reasonable. She pestered (纠缠) her parents about inequity, insisting that she wanted to do something.
“What do you want to do?” her mom responded. “Sell our house?”
Warning! Never suggest a grand gesture to an idealistic teenager. Hannah seized upon the idea of selling the luxurious family home and donating half the money to charity, while using the other half to buy a more modest replacement home.
Eventually, that’s what the family did. The project — crazy, impetuous (鲁莽) and utterly inspiring — is written down in detail in a book by father and daughter scheduled to be published next month: “The Power of Half.” It’s a book that, frankly, I’d be nervous about leaving around where my own teenage kids might find it. An impressionable child reads this, and the next thing you know your whole family is out on the street.
At a time of enormous needs in Haiti and elsewhere, when so many Americans are trying to help Haitians by sending everything from text messages to shoes, the Salwens offer an example of a family that came together to make a difference — for themselves as much as the people they were trying to help. In a column a week ago, I described neurological(神经学的) evidence from brain scans that unselfishness lights up parts of the brain normally associated with more primary satisfaction such as food and sex. The Salwens’ experience confirms the selfish pleasures of selflessness.
Mr. Salwen and his wife, Joan, had always assumed that their kids would be better off in a bigger house. But after they downsized, there was much less space to retreat to, so the family members spent more time around each other. A smaller house unexpectedly turned out to be a more family-friendly house.
41. The best title of the passage should be__________.
A. The less , the better. B. An unexpected satisfaction
C. Something we can live without D. Somewhat crazy but inspiring
42. What does the word “inequity” most probably mean in the sentence?
A. unfairness B. satisfaction C. personal attitude D. reasonable statement
43.The sentence “An impressionable child reads this, and the next thing you know your whole family is out on the street.” means _____.
A. When an unreasonable child reads the book, their house will disappear.
B. When an unreasonable child reads the book, he will ask his parents to sell their house.
C. When an unreasonable child reads this, the whole family will enjoy themselves in the street.
D. The child who likes to express himself will ask the whole family to enjoy the book outside.
44.Which of the following statements is true?
A. Mercedes coupe is only an ordinary car which is quite cheap.
B. Hannah asked her parents to do something charitable and they sold their house.
C. Unselfishness has nothing to do with people’s primary satisfaction.
D. Hannah’s parents felt regretted having sold the big house.
45.“Never suggest a grand gesture to an idealistic teenager.” means__________.
A. Never give a quick answer to an idealistic teenager.
B. Don’t respond to a child’s demands firmly without consideration.
C. Give an answer if the child is reasonable.
D. Unless the child is realistic otherwise never give an answer immediately