Your House Will Take Care of You In Old Age
Have you ever thought what your life would be like in old age? Everyone talks about the “aging” society with large numbers of elderly people needing home care. Now German researchers have set up a “smart” house, programmed to help the elderly live at home with dignity. Scientists at Germany’s Fraunhofer Institute say the house combines existing technology with future-oriented technology.
For example, the “smart” bathroom has a touch screen mirror that can remind people to take their medicine, wash their hands or brush their teeth. The hardware behind Fraunhofer’s electronic bathroom is not new, and the software runs on a regular personal computer.
When the medicine cabinet is opened, a display in the middle of the mirror tells the person how many pills to take. The mirror is linked to a care provider, who can remotely check whether a patient at home is actually taking medicine and brushing his or her teeth. As many elderly people have arthritic(关节炎的) conditions that make it difficult to operate water taps, the mirror also has displays that turn the water tap on or off or control the water temperature.
The bathroom is only the start. Kitchens, bedrooms and all other parts of the “intelligent” home will become “user-friendly” to meet all kinds of individual needs. Sensors in doors, toilets, taps, light switches and carpets detect every activity and record them electronically. Doctors or care staff can see from the computer records what personal hygiene tasks have been completed, how often the elderly person visits the bathroom or uses the toilet. In case of an emergency, the computer automatically alerts the chosen contact person or calls the care center. The ‘smart” bathroom has a touch screen mirror ________.
| A.that can help the elderly brush their teeth | B.which is linked to a nursing house |
| C.behind which is a medicine cabinet | D.that can remind people to do many things |
The underlined word “them” in the last paragraph refers to ________.
| A.every activity | B.doors, toilets, taps, light switches and carpets | C.individual needs | D.sensors |
The house mentioned in the passage can be described as _________.
| A.smart but expensive | B.intelligent and convenient |
| C.smart and environmentally-friendly | D.fashionable and energy-saving |
How is the passage mainly developed?
| A.By inferring | B.By listing examples. | C.By comparing. | D.By introducing a practical method. |
The author of the text mainly _________.
| A.calls on people to care for the old | B.encourages the old to live with dignity |
| C.introduces a new house | D.promotes a new house |
“Cool”is a word with many meanings.Its old meaning is used to express a temperature that is a little bit cold.As the world has changed,the word has had many different meanings.
“Cool”can be used to express feelings of interest in almost anything.When you see a famous car in the street,maybe you will say,“It's cool.”You may think,“He's so cool,”when you see your favourite footballer.
We all maximize(扩大) the meaning of“cool”.You can use it instead of many words such as “new” or “surprising”.Here's an interesting story we can use to show the way the word is used.A teacher asked her students to write about the waterfall(瀑布)they had visited.On one student's paper was Just the one sentence,“It's so cool.”Maybe he thought it was the best way to show what he saw and felt.
But the story also shows a scarcity(缺乏)of words.Without “cool”,some people have no words to show the same meaning.So it is quite important to keep some credibility(可信性).Can you think of many other words that make your life as colourful as the word “cool”? I can.And I think they are also very cool.
66.We know that the word "cool" has had ________.
A.only one meaning B.no meanings
C.many different meanings D.the same meaning
67.In the passage,the word“express”means“________”. 
A.see B.show C.know D.feel
68.If you are _______ something,you may say,“It’s cool.”
A.interested in B.angry about
C.afraid of D.unhappy with
69.The writer takes an example to show he is ________ the way the word is used.
A.pleased withB.strange to
C.worried about D.careful with
70.In the passage,the writer suggests(暗示)that the word “cool”________.
A.can be used instead of many words
B.usually means something interesting
C.can make your life colourful
D.may not be as cool as it seems
Last night was the last game for my eight-year-old son's soccer team. It was the final quarter. The score was two to one, my son's team in the lead. Parents surrounded the playground, offering encouragement.
With less than ten seconds remaining, the ball suddenly rolled in front of my son's teammate, Mickey O'Donnel. With shouts of "Kick it!" echoing (回响) across the playground, Mickey turned around and gave it everything he had. All around me the crowd erupted (沸腾). O'Donnel had scored!
Then there was silence. Mickey had scored all right, but in the wrong goal, ending the game in a tie. For a moment there was a total hush. You see, Mickey has Down syndrome (综合症) and for him there is no such thing as a wrong goal. All goals were celebrated by a joyous hug from Mickey. He had even been known to hug the opposing players when they scored. 
The silence was finally broken when Mickey, his face filled with joy, hugged my son tightly and shouted, "I scored! I scored. Everybody won! Everybody won!" For a moment I held my breath, not sure how my son would react. I need not have worried. I watched, through tears, as my son threw up his hand in the classic high-five salute and started chanting, "Way to go Mickey! Way to go Mickey!" Within moments both teams surrounded Mickey, joining in the chant and congratulating him on his goal.
Later that night, when my daughter asked who had won, I smiled as I replied, "It was a tie. Everybody won."
61. What was the score of the soccer match?
A. Two to two, equal to both the teams. B. Three to one in Mickey's team's favor.
C. Two to one in the opposite team's favor. D. Everybody won because of Mickey's goal.
62. The underlined word "hush" in paragraph 3 means
A. cheer B. cry C. laughter D. silence
63. What did the author worry about when Mickey scored and hugged his son?
A. The result of the match would fail his son.
B. His son would shout at Mickey for his goal.
C. Mickey would again hug the opposing players.
D. His son would understand Mickey's wrong goal.
64. It can be inferred(推断出) from the passage that ________.
A. both teams liked and respected Mickey
B. both teams were thankful to Mickey for his goal
C. Mickey didn't mind though his goal was wrong
D. Mickey was a kind- hearted boy and hoped everybody won
65. The purpose of the author in writing the passage is ________.
A. to tell a joke to make readers laugh
B. to suggest we should not mind losing
C. to show enjoying a game is more than winning a game
D. to present his son's fine qualities of understanding others
.Life gets noisier every day and very few people can be free from noise of some sort or another. It doesn't matter where you live--in the middle of a modern city, or a faraway village--the chances are that you' 11 be disturbed by jet planes, transistor radios, oil - powered engines, etc. We seem to be getting used to noise, too. Some people feel quite lonely without background music while they' re working.
Scientific tests have shown that total silence can be a very frightening experience for a human being. However, some people enjoy listening to pop music which is very loud, and this can do harm to their eardrums(耳鼓). The noise level in some discos is far above the usual safety level for heavy industrial areas.
One recent report about noise and concentration(专心) suggested that although a lot of people say that any noise disturbs their concentration, what really influences their ability to concentrate is a change in the level of noise. It goes on to say that a background noise which doesn't change too much(music, for example) may even help people to concentrate.
56. According to this passage, the noise pollution __
A. has become the worst in the countryside B. has become better in big cities
C. has spread from cities to villages D. has been controlled in modern cities
57. What does background music refer to?
A. Music played while people are working.
B. Music played in the backyard.
C. Noise that continues while you' re listening to other noises.
D. Music used to help people to concentrate.
58. Some people have their hearing harmed __
A. while listening to pop music
B. in complete silence
C. when speaking loudly D. while watching TV
59. Which of the following isn't included among the things causing noise?
A. trucks B. motorcycles C. electric engines D. jet planes
60. Scientists have discovered that what prevents people from concentrating on something is
A. all kinds of noise B. great changes in the level of noise
C. background noiseD. popular music
Let's do some sleep math. You lost two hours of sleep every night last week because of a big project due on Friday. On Saturday and Sunday, you slept in, getting four extra hours. On Monday morning, you were feeling so bright-eyed, and you only had one cup of coffee, instead of your usual two. But don't be cheated by your energy: You're still carrying around a heavy load of sleepiness, or what experts call " sleep debt "win this case something like six hours, almost a full night's sleep.
Sleep debt is the difference between the amount of sleep you should be getting and the amount you actually get. It's a deficit (赤字)that grows every time we skim some extra minutes off our nightly sleep. "People accumulate sleep debt gradually without being noticed," says psychiatrist William C. Dement, founder of the Stanford University Sleep Research Centre. Studies show that such short-term lack of sleep
leads to a foggy brain, worsened vision, and trouble remembering. Long-term effects include obesity, insulin(胰岛素) resistance, and heart disease. A survey by the National Sleep Foundation reports that we're losing one hour of sleep each night —more than two full weeks of sleep each year.
The good news is that, like all debt, with some work, sleep debt can be repaid. Adding an extra hour or two of sleep a night is the way to catch up. For the long-term lack of sleep, take it easy for a few months to get back into a natural sleep pattern. Go to bed when you are tired, and allow your body to wake you in the morning (no alarm clock allowed). You may find yourself catatonic (有紧张感的)in the beginning of the recovery cycle: Expect to have ten hours' shut-eye per night. As the days pass, however, the amount of sleeping time will gradually decrease.
So earn back that lost sleep —and follow the orders of your inner sleep needs, and you'll feel better. "When you put away sleep debt, you become superman." Says Stanford's Dement, talking about the improved mental and physical capabilities that come with being well rested.
72. The example of sleep math is used to show .
A. in what case you build up a sleep debt
B. why you need six hours' sleep every night.
C. why you are full of energy even when lacking sleep.
D. you should drink coffee to keep energetic
73. The author begins Paragraph 2 with .
A. an example B. a definition C. an order D. a story
74. By saying the underlined sentence in the last paragraph, Dement means .
A. a superman always needs a lot of sleep
B. you can become superhuman after you repay your debt
C. you will be in a good state with enough sleep
D. you will become superhuman if you don't make up for sleep debt
75. What might be the most suitable title for the passage?
A. How can you keep energetic? B. Can you have a good sleep?
C. What is sleep debt? D. Can you catch up on sleep debt?
An important factor that plays a part in susceptibility (易受影响) to colds is age.A study done by the University of Michigan School of Public Health indicated the fact that seems to hold true for the general population.Babies are the group suffering most from colds, averaging more than six colds in their first years.Boys have more colds than girls up to age three.After the age of three, girls are more susceptible than boys, and teenage girls average three colds a year to boy's two.
The general frequency of colds continues to decline into adults.Elderly people who are in good health have as few as one or two colds annually.One exception is found among people in their twenties, especially women, who show a rise in cold infections(感染), because people to this age group are most likely to have young children.Adults who delay having children until their thirties and forties experience the same sudden increase in cold infections.
The study also found that economics (经济状况) plays an important role.As income increases, the frequency at which colds are reported in the family decreases.Families with the lowest income suffer about a third more colds than families at the upper end.Lower income generally forces people to live in closer quarters than those typically occupied by wealthier people, and crowding increases the opportunities for the cold virus to travel from person to person.Low income may also influence diet.The degree to which poor nutrition affects susceptibility to colds is not yet clearly proved, but an inadequate diet is suspected of lowering resistance generally.
68. What factors cause people to catch colds easily?
A. Age and pregnancy. B. Health and pregnancy.
C. Health and economics. D. Age and economics.
69. Why does the lowest income lead to the rapid spread of colds?
A. Because poor people can't afford to go to see a doctor.
B. Because balanced diet has definitely affected poor people.
C. Because people with the lowest income have limited living space.
D. Because cold virus don't have opportunities to travel in poor families.
70. How does the study prove that age plays a part in susceptibility to colds?
A. Using comparison. B. Using graphs.
C. Using description. D. Using argument.
71. What can you learn from the passage?
A. Families with the lowest income suffer less colds than rich families.
B. The general frequency of colds are likely to increase among the poor.
C. Women in their twenties are most likely to avoid cold infections.
D. The general frequency of colds continue to rise into the adults.