A Battery’s Worst Nightmare(噩梦)
Portable electronics that can be carried about easily are only as good as their batteries and, let’s face it, batteries aren’t very good, especially when compared with, say, petrol, which packs 100 times a battery’s energy into an equal space. That’s why a large group of mechanical engineers (centered at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, but with partners at other universities and companies) are hard at work in an effort to replace batteries with a tiny engine that runs on fuel. Imagine a battery-free life!When the fuel runs out in your laptop or mobile phone, you just fill
up and go.
The engine, about the size of a ten-cent coin, starts with a combustion chamber (燃烧室) that burns hydrogen (氢). Its tiny parts are etched onto silicon wafers (硅片) in the same manner that computer parts are imprinted onto integrated circuits (集成电路). The first engine is made up of five wafers. And since these wafers could be produced in much the same way as computer chips, they could probably be produced quite cheaply.
But the devil in all this nice detail is efficiency(效率). Tiny engine parts don’t always behave like their scaled-up parts of the first engine. Something between the parts can slow down th
e work, according to Columbia University professor Luc Frechette, one of the engine’s designers. Extreme heat from the combustion chamber is also a problem, often leaking to other parts of the engine.
The scientists’ goal is to create an engine that
will operate 10 times better than batteries do. Frechette says that a complete system, with all parts in place and working, will be set up in the next couple of years, but commercial models aren’t available until at least the end of the next ten years. .
. According to the passage, the title suggests that ________.
| A．batteries should be greatly improved | B．petrol will be used instead of batteries |
| C．the time of batteries will be gone forever | D．pollution caused by batteries must be prevented |
.
What’s the meaning of the underlined word “devil” (In Paragraph 3)?
| A．Problem. | B．Advantage. | C．Invention. | D．Technique. |
.
What can we infer from the passage?
| A．The new invention doesn’t need any fuel. |
| B．The new engine has been produced in quantity. |
| C．The new invention is much cheaper than the battery. |
| D．The new engine needs to be improved before it’s on sale. |
.
. What is the main purpose of this passage?
| A．To introduce a new invention to readers. | B．To persuade readers not to use batteries. |
| C．To show us how the new invention works. | D．To declare when the engine will be on sale. |
New research shows sheep are clever
People often make jokes about how dull sheep are, but new research shows they may be cleverer than we think. Researchers at the University of Cambridge discovered that Welsh mountain sheep have brainpower that equals rodents (啮齿动物). Tests found that the sheep can map the area they live in, and some may even be able to plan ahead.
Young fish prefer noisy neighbors
A new study has shown that young fish like to live on reefs with noisy neighbors! Researchers from the universities of Auckland and Bristol found that young fish looking for a home choose areas where other noisy fish live. The scientists produced all kinds of sounds which had been recorded in different natural environments. The young fish seemed to prefer the sounds of natural reefs, complete with noisy animals! The scientists compared the choice to a music fan wandering around at a music festival, choosing to set up a tent closest to the music they like best!
Butterflies are disappearing
A new study has shown that 17 species (物种) of butterfly found in Europe have dropped by 70% in the last 20 years. The information collected from 3,000 sites across 15 countries shows it may be caused by the loss (减少) of grasslands covered with flowers. You can encourage butterflies to come into your garden by planting flowers. What is the passage mainly about?
| A．Some new studies about animals. |
| B．People’s wrong ideas about animals. |
| C．Why the number of animals has dropped. |
| D．The importance of protecting animals. |
According to the first paragraph, we may infer that sheep _____.
| A．are less clever than rodents |
| B．can find their home |
| C．can read maps |
| D．are good planners |
When young fish are looking for a home, they like to _____.
| A．live in a noisy environment |
| B．live in areas close to their parents |
| C．choose the reefs which are quiet |
| D．choose other kinds of fish as neighbors |
Which seems to have to do with the number of butterflies?
| A．The species of grass in grasslands. |
| B．The species of trees in grasslands. |
| C．The number of flowers in grasslands. |
| D．The number of animals in grasslands. |
In which part of a newspaper can we most probably read the passage?
| A．Geography. | B．Culture. | C．Travel. | D．Nature |
In the near future, we may be using our eyes to operate our smart-phones and tablets, even when it comes to playing popular games like Fruit Ninja.
The Gaze Group has been developing eye-controlled computer technology for nearly 20 years. But those devices have been firstly designed to help those with disabilities, and are very expensive.
“After a while, we figured out that probably the best way is to go for a mass-market way,” says Gaze’s Sune Alstrup Johansen. “where everybody would have this available."
Johansen and some of his colleagues have formed a new company, the Eye Tribe, which is hoping to develop the technology on a mass commercial level.
The technology works with the help of the computing device toward the user’s face. After making sure of the user’s eye movements, the technology is then able to easily find where a person’s eyes are moving, and then allow the eyes to control a cursor(光标).
“Our software can then determine the location of the eyes and know where you’re looking on the screen to make sure what you’re looking at, ” reads an explanation on the Eye Tribe site.
There has been a gradual change toward hands-free technology in recent years, particularly in the gaming world. Recently Xbox released the Kinect device, which lets users control their Xbox and play certain games using only their hands, legs and voices. But still, most of these devices have been more of a gimmick than a practical way to use one’s hands to control a mobile device. Johansen said a replaceable filter(滤光器)would be a cheap, convenient way for most consumers.
And even as companies like The Eye Tribe work to create such a product for the average user, making the eye-controlled technology more accessible and less expensive will have similar benefits for physically disabled users.
For more articles on modern science，please CLICK here．Which of the following is the main idea of the passage?
| A．An introduction of eye-controlling technology |
| B．An introduction of a new device. |
| C．An introduction of smart-phones |
| D．An introduction of a new technology for the disabled. |
The underlined word “gimmick” probably means ___________.
| A．a way | B．a trick | C．a lie | D．a dream |
According to the passage, we can learn that ___________.
| A．the eye-controlling technology was first developed for the blind |
| B．the present developing of the technology will bring no good |
| C．the eye-controlling technology is only intended for the disabled people |
| D．there is no such a phone as we can use only with our eyes at present |
This passage is probably taken from ___________.
| A．an experiment report | B．a science fiction |
| C．a science website | D．a school textbook |
Aggressive pedestrians are in fact as dangerous as careless drivers. They cause traffic accidents, injury and death. These dangerous walkers can be seen in any big city all over the world. About 69% of last year’s pedestrian deaths in the US occurred in urban areas. They cross streets ignoring “DON’T WALK” signals, suddenly appear without warning from behind parked vehicles, walk slowly at crossroads with cell phones attached to heads, blocking traffic.
These pedestrians and drivers share a common disregard for the rules of the road, both for selfish reasons. The drivers believe in the power of their machines. If their machines can go faster, they believe they have the right to go faster. If their machines are bigger, they believe they have the right to push smaller vehicles aside. Aggressive pedestrians, on the other hand, believe in the primacy(首位) of the individual, the idea that they are first in any environment, under any circumstances, even when they are on foot in a roaring tide of steel and rubber.
Last year, an estimated 5,220 pedestrians died in traffic accidents. Some 69,000 pedestrians were injured. On average, that worked out to one pedestrian killed in a traffic crash every 101 minutes, and one injured every eight minutes.
The good news is that the accident rate is dropping. For example, the number of pedestrians killed last year was 24 percent less than the number killed in traffic accidents a decade earlier. The bad news is that the basic causes of pedestrian deaths remain pretty much the same----disregard for traffic signals, inattention and crossing roads under the influence of alcohol and drugs. Alcohol, in fact, was involved in 46 percent of the traffic accidents that resulted in pedestrian deaths. Of those, 31 percent of the pedestrians were found to be drunk.
The bottom line is that the pedestrians must do more to protect their lives as well as the lives of other road users. They can start by obeying traffic signals, using marked cross-walks and calling a cab when they’ve had too much to drink.The passage is mainly about _____.
| A．what the traffic rules of the road about pedestrians were |
| B．why so many Americans were killed on roads last year |
| C．how aggressive pedestrians cause traffic accidents |
| D．who are to blame for pedestrian deaths, drunk drivers or the aggressive pedestrians |
What is the pedestrians’ selfish reason for traffic jams?
| A．They believe individuals are always first. |
| B．They know all drivers are skilled and with great care. |
| C．They think traffic rules have nothing to do with them. |
| D．They guess all vehicles will slow down at crossroads. |
What was NOT the basic cause of pedestrian deaths in the US a decade ago?
| A．Disregard for traffic signals |
| B．Paying no attention to surroundings. |
| C．Overspeeding driving. |
| D．Crossing roads drunk. |
What word can best describe the author’s attitude to the traffic accidents caused by pedestrians?
| A．Excited. | B．Cold. | C．Unconnected. | D．Concerned |
Are you an optimist? Do you look at your glass and see it as half full? Do you believe that every cloud has a silver lining and that things generally turn out for the best? Do you believe that if something is meant to be, it will be? If you reply “yes” to all of these questions, then you are an optimist. You probably are enthusiastic, cheerful and outgoing. You may be successful at work and in love.
But you may be misguided because things don’t turn out for the best. You may believe that when one door closes another one opens (for example, you may fail to obtain a new job; another chance will come around soon). Wrong. When one door closes, another door slams (砰然关上) in your face. That’s bitter reality.
Now a book has been published which confirms what pessimists (悲观者) have suspected all along. It’s called The Positive Power of Defensive Pessimism. Its author argues that defensive pessimism can lead to positive results. Defensive pessimism is a strategy used to manage fear, anxiety and worry. Defensive pessimists prepare for the things by setting low outcomes for themselves. They carefully consider everything that may go wrong and plan for ways to handle these problems. And this gives them a sense of control. Lawrence Sanno, a psychology professor, says, “What’s interesting about defensive pessimists is that they tend to be very successful people, so their low opinion of the situation’s outcomes is not realistic. They use it to motivate themselves to perform better.”
So far, so good. This is not rocket science. Defensive pessimists prepare carefully and consider what might go wrong, whether at work, on date or even in a sports game. It makes sense to have a back-up plan. There are many sayings in English urging caution. For example, “Don’t put all your eggs in one basket.” And “Don’t count your chickens until they hatch.” To have a confident and optimistic approach to life’s problems is good. But listen to what Woody Alien, the American comedian says, “Confidence is what you have before you understand the problem.”
There are pros and cons to being an optimist and a pessimist. Don’t feel bad if you see the glass half empty. You are a realist. But lighten up and hook up with someone who sees the same glass half full.What’s the passage mainly about?
| A．The benefits of defensive pessimism. |
| B．A book that has recently been published. |
| C．The dangers of being too optimistic. |
| D．How to become successful in life. |
The underlined sentence “This is not rocket science” (Para. 4) means __________.
| A．there is no real proof | B．it is quite simple to understand |
| C．the cost is not so high | D．it’s not a dangerous thing to do |
Which of the following English expressions would a defensive pessimist believe?
| A．Whatever will be, will be. | B．The glass is half full not half empty. |
| C．Don’t put all your eggs in one basket. | D．Every cloud has a silver lining. |
The writer would probably describe himself as __________.
| A．a realist | B．an optimist | C．a defeatist | D．a scientist |
Have you ever considered all the English expressions that include words about clothes? Let’s see if I can name a few proverbs “off the cuff” since I haven’t prepared for it.
| English expressions with “pants” |
| People wear pants to cover the lower part of their bodies. We sometimes say that people who are restless or nervous have “ants in their pants.” They might also “fly by the seat of their pants” -- they use their natural sense to do something instead of their learned knowledge. Sometimes, people may “get caught with their pants down” -- they are found doing something they should not be doing. And, in every family, one person takes control. Sometimes a wife tells her husband what to do. Then we say “she wears the pants in the family.” |
| When people want to say something about money |
| Pants usually have pockets to hold things. Money that is likely to be spent quickly can “burn a hole in your pocket.” Sometimes you need a belt to hold up your pants. If you have less money than usual, you may have to “tighten your belt” -- you may have to live on less money and spend your money carefully. But once you have succeeded in budgeting your money, you will have that skill “under your belt.” I always praise people who can save their money and not spend too much. I really “take my hat off to them.” Yet, when it comes to my own money, I spend it “at the drop of a hat” — immediately, without waiting. And sadly, you cannot “pull money out of a hat” —you cannot get money by inventing or imagining it. |
| English expressions with “shoes” |
| Boots are a heavy or strong kind of shoes. People who are “too big for their boots” think they are more important than they really are. I dislike such people. I really do. You can bet your boots on that! Yet, truly important people are hard to replace. Rarely can you “fill their shoes” -- or replace them with someone equally effective. |
| English expressions with “shirt” |
| My father is an important person. He runs a big company. He wears a suit and tie and a shirt with sleeves that cover his arms. Some people who do not know him well think he is too firm and severe. They think he is a real “stuffed shirt.” But I know that my father “wears his heart on his sleeve” —he shows his feelings openly. And, he knows how to “keep his shirt on”—he stays calm and never gets angry or too excited. |
What is this passage mainly about?
| A．Which words can be used to describe my father. |
| B．Why English expressions include words about clothes. |
| C．What people mean when they use some proverbs. |
| D．How to say English correctly and properly. |
Which of the following proverbs are not related to money?
| A．tighten one’s belt | B．take one’s hat off to them |
| C．burn a hole in one’s pocket | D．get caught with their pants down |
Tim often considers himself the most important person in the world, which is far from the truth .We may say ______.
| A．he “wears his heart on his sleeve ”. | B．he “bet his boots on that ”. |
| C．he is “too big for their boots”. | D．he “ fill their shoes”. |
If you want to praise somebody for his calmness when facing danger, you may say______.
| A．“Amazing! How can you keep your shirt on at that time!” |
| B．“You really fill your shoes” |
| C．“Awesome ! You wear your heart on your sleeve!” |
| D．“Cool! You are truly a stuffed shirt”. |