Motorists who used to listen to the radio or their favorite tunes on CDs may have a new way to entertain themselves, after engineers in Japan developed a musical road surface.
A team from the Hokkaido Industrial Research Institute has built a number of“melody roads,”which use cars as tuning forks to play music as they travel.
The concept works by using grooves(凹槽).They are cut at very specific intervals in the road surface. The melody road uses the spaces between to create different notes.
Depending on how far apart the grooves are, a car moving over them will produce a series of high or low notes, and designers are able to create a distinct tune.
Paten documents for the design describe it as notches “formed in a road surface so as to play a melody without producing simple sound or rhythm and reproduce melody-like tones”.
There are three musical strips in central and northern Japan—one of which plays the tune of a Japanese pop song. Reports say the system was invented by Shizuo Shinoda. He scraped some markings into a road with a bulldozer before driving over them and found that they helped to produce all kinds of tones.
The optimal speed for melody road is 44kph,but people say it is not always easy to get the intended sound.
“You need to keep the car windows closed to hear well,”wrote one Japanese blogger.“Driving too fast will sound like playing fast forward, while driving around 12mph［20km/h］has a slow-motion effect, making you almost car-sick.”According to the passage, melody roads use to create different notes.
| A．cars | B．grooves | C．spaces between intervals | D．bulldozers |
We can learn from the passage that the highness of notes is depended on .
| A．how far the grooves are | B．how big the grooves are |
| C．the number of the grooves | D．the speed of the car |
The underlined word “optimal” in the passage might mean .
| A．fastest | B．possible | C．best | D．suitable |
In order to hear the music well, you have to .
| A．drive very fast | B．drive slowly |
| C．open the windows wide | D．keep the windows closed |
What’s the best title of the passage?
| A．A New Type of Music | B．Melody Roads in Japan |
| C．A Musical Road Surface | D．A New Invention in J |
Free energy is everywhere around us. There are many ways to make and collect energy from various sources like sun, wind and water. People also realize that everyday stuff can be a source of energy too. For example, riding a bike, running or just walking, etc. We simply have to change our way of thinking if we want to change the world.
So comes the idea of solar roadways. Are they the road of future? Why use roads just for driving and collecting tolls (过路费)? Why don’t we use them for collecting energy?
The US Department of Transportation recently awarded $100,000 to Solar Roadways to build the first ever Solar Road Panel. So how do these future roads work?
The Solar Road Panels will contain embedded (嵌入的) LEDs which “paint” the road lines from beneath to provide safer nighttime driving as well as to give drivers instant instructions such as detour (绕行) ahead. The road will be able to sense wildlife on the road and can warn drivers to “slow down”. There will also be embedded heating elements in the surface to prevent snow and ice buildup, providing safer winter driving.
Replacing asphalt (沥青) roads and parking lots with Solar Roadway Panels will be a major step toward stopping climate change. Fully electric vehicles will be able to recharge along the roadway and in parking lots, finally making electric cars practical for long trips.
We just can’t wait to see more of these roads all over the world in the near future.The first paragraph serves as a(n)______.
| A．argument | B．comment | C．explanation | D．background |
Which of the following is NOT true of LEDs?
| A．They color the road lines. |
| B．They are embedded in the Solar Road Panels. |
| C．They are beneficial for nighttime driving. |
| D．They can provide instant instructions. |
When some animals are on the solar road, what will the road do?
| A．Guide them to a safer place. | B．Remind drivers to drive slowly. |
| C．Frighten them away from the road. | D．Advise drivers to choose another way. |
From the text, we can know that the Solar Road Panels can______.
| A．provide heat for drivers in winter |
| B．guide drivers who get lost on the highway |
| C．melt snow and ice soon in winter |
| D．help drivers see the road clearly in the sun |
Mom noticed that something was wrong when I started getting so thirsty, I’d have a lot to drink before bed, which was unusual for me. One time, I opened a big container of apple juice and kept refilling my glass. Before I knew it, I’d drunk the entire container! My mom call my doctor. I then had a few blood tests, and the results were certain ------ I had diabetes, which meant that the amount of sugar in my blood was very high. That can be dangerous, so I had to learn how to control my blood-sugar level.
My eating habits had to change in a big way. With diabetes, I can’t eat a lot of sugar or carbohydrates. I have to figure out exactly how much sugar I plan to eat, and then I get an injection of insulin before the meals to help my body process the food. Also, I test my blood-sugar level often. I’m always trying to keep my blood sugar at a healthy level. The level can drop when I exercise, but that doesn’t keep me out of gym class or off the basketball court ------ I just keep some juice boxes around to boost my blood sugar if I need to.
It’s a lot of work ------ and not a lot of fun ------ to keep track of everything, but I’ve gotten used to my new habits. I was a little scared at first because I wasn’t sure how my life would change. Once I knew what I needed to do, though, it wasn’t a big deal. My life is different now from what it was before, but it has become completely regular to me.The first paragraph is mainly about ______.
| A．who found the author had diabetes |
| B．the author’s life before having diabetes |
| C．how the author was found to have diabetes |
| D．the author’s eating habits before having diabetes |
The insulin injected into the body before the meals can ______.
| A．change people’s eating habit | B．help process the food |
| C．hasten the growth of organs | D．prevent high blood level |
What did the author do after knowing she had diabetes?
| A．She stopped playing basketball in the gym. |
| B．She controlled her blood-sugar level strictly. |
| C．She stopped eating food with natural sugar. |
| D．She tested her blood-sugar level before every meal. |
What does the underlined word “boost” in Paragraph 2 mean?
| A．Increase. | B．Control. | C．Absorb. | D．Test. |
What’s the author’s attitude towards her having diabetes now？
| A．Worried. | B．Frightened. | C．Pessimistic. | D．Positive. |
Kids Fishing Photo Contest
Welcome to catch the excitement of your child on film while fishing and enter his or her picture in the yearly Kids Fishing Photo Contest! The contest is sponsored（主办，赞助） by Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries (VDGIF) in celebration of National Fishing Week!
The winning pictures are those that best catch the theme （主题）“kids enjoying fishing”. Winners will receive different fishing-related prizes. Winning pictures will also be posted on the VDGIF website and may be used in all kinds of VDGIF publications. There is no need to be a professional photographer. Any photo will do.
Contest Rules
Children in the photographs must fall into one of the following age groups when the picture is taken: 1---5, 6---10.
Photos must not be more than 1 year old.
Photos must be taken in Virginia.
Children in a boat must be wearing a life jacket.
Only one photo submission（提交） per child.
Submit photo on photograph quality paper, no CD’s accepted.
Photos must not be bigger than “4*6” size.
Please stick a piece of paper to the back of the photo including: name, age, address, phone number and location where the photograph was taken.
Photos must be postmarked on or before June 19, 2011.
Judging will take place in July and winners will be posted on the VDGIF website.
Prizes will be sent directly to the winning children.
This contest isn’t open to immediate family of VDGIF employees and sponsors. Immediate family members refer to children, relatives or others living in the same household with a VDGIF employee or sponsor.
To Enter:
Send your photo, with the child’s name, age, phone number and address to:
2011 Kids Fishing Photo Contest
Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries
P.O. Box 11104
Richmond, VA 23230 – 1104The purpose of the contest is to ______.
A encourage people to take more pictures
B help people realize the importance of fishing
C celebrate a national fishing-related activity
D encourage people to go fishing with kidsWhich of the following photos can enter the contest?
A A photo which was taken in Boston in 2009.
B A large photo which was postmarked on July 11, 2011.
C A photo which was taken in Virginia on Sept. 23, 2010.
D A photo on which there is a 12-year-old girl.What can be known about the prize of the contest?
A Winners will get a great deal of money.
B Winners will be allowed to travel in Virginia for free.
C Winners’ works will be seen on any website.
D Winners’ works may appear on the covers of VDGIF publications.According to the contest rules, ______.
A the result of the contest will be unknown before July, 2011
B all Americans have the right to take part in the contest
C photos can be sent to the sponsors in the form of email
D the Smiths with only one child can enter the contest with two photos
Sons who have fond childhood memories of their fathers are more likely to be emotionally stable（稳定的） in the face of day-to-day stresses, according to psychologists（心理学家） who studied hundreds of adults of all ages.
“As our study shows, fathers do play a unique（独特的） and important role in the mental health of their children much later in life,” Psychology professor Melanie Mallers of California State University said.
For this study, 912 adult men and women between the ages of 25 and 74 completed short daily telephone interviews about that day’s experiences over an eight-day period. The interviews focused on the participants’ psychological and emotional distress (i.e., whether they were nervous, sad, etc.) and if they had experienced any stressful events that day.
The participants were also required to answer questions such as, “How would you rate your relationship with your mother during the years when you were growing up?” and “How much time and attention did your mother give you when you needed it?” The same questions were asked about fathers.
People who reported they had a good mother-child relationship reported three percent less psychological distress（忧虑） compared to those who reported a poor relationship, according to Mallers.
Men who reported having a good relationship with their father during childhood were more likely to be less emotional when reacting to stressful events in their current daily lives than those who had a poor relationship, according to her findings.
Also, the quality of mother and father relationships was significantly associated（有关） with how many stressful events the participants faced on a daily basis. In other words, if they had a poor childhood relationship with both parents, they reported more stressful incidents over the eight-day study when compared to those who had a good relationship with their parents.
Mallers theorized why healthy or unhealthy relationships may have an effect on how people handle stress as adults. “Perhaps having caring parents equips children with the experiences and skills necessary to more successfully navigate（导航） their relationships with other people throughout childhood and into adulthood.” She said.What can we know about the recent study from the passage?
A It was led by Melanie Mallers.
B 912 adults who were over twenty-five joined in it.
C It lasted as long as eight days.
D It was funded just by California State University.Which of the following may the participants be asked about in telephone interviews?
A Their physical condition. B Their parenting（育儿） skills.
C Their emotional distress and stressful events.
D Their childhood relationships with teachers.Which of the following statements is TRUE?
A Many people with good parent-child relationships still can’t keep emotionally stable in stressful incidents.
B Men with a good mother-child relationship were more likely to be emotionally stable when reacting to stressful events.
C Women were better at getting along with their parents than men when they were young.
D People with good childhood relationships with parents suffered（遭受） fewer stressful incidents.What can be concluded from the findings of the study?
A Childhood memories of parents have a lasting effect on one’s ability to handle stress.
B Adults with good childhood relationships with parents will live happily and successfully.
C The mother-child relationship is more important than the father-child relationship.
D The quality of parent-child relationships determines（决定） how people handle stress as adults.
I read a letter of a mother of a gifted child to an expert with gifted children stating that her son was always complaining that he doesn’t like his teacher for she talks in baby language and she lets them sing baby songs. Having an insufficient（不足够的） understanding of being different from their normally developing classmates, gifted children may find themselves wanting to learn more than being boxed with other kids of their age. They want to quench（解渴） their thirst for knowledge. However, in the process, they tend to develop negative（负面的） thoughts about school and teachers. Thus, they tend to exhibit behavioral problems.
Behavioral problems of gifted children could be mainly correlated（相关的） to their asynchronous（不同步的） development. This development means that the child has uneven（不均衡的） development in their mind, body and emotions. To explain further, a gifted child may live in different ages at once. He may show high intellectual（智力的） capabilities at some point but the time his emotions rule, he would go back to his true age going through tantrums（脾气发作） and endless sobbing（哭泣）. He maybe find it happy playing with kids his age but the next day, he would be bored with that and he would find conversing with older kids to be more challenging.
Because of high intellectual level, a gifted child often acts differently in his own classroom. He has the thinking of being above from the rest of his classmates when it comes to grades, academic awards and school recognitions. In classroom discussions, the child may be very cooperative（合作的） having advanced knowledge in the lessons but it is mostly that he will suffer from boredom as he is not challenged by the lessons and he would feel no improvement with them.Which of the following best explains the asynchronous development?
A A child has good development both in mind and body.
B A child cannot get along well with his classmates.
C A child is intellectually developed but not equal with emotionally.
D A child doesn’t feel happy with his school and teachers.What is most likely to be talked about in the paragraph following the passage?
A How a gifted child gets along with his classmates.
B How to get a gifted child involved（被卷入） in a classroom discussion.
C What can arouse（激发） a gifted child’s interest.
D How a teacher should handle a gifted child in class.We can infer from the passage that ______.
A we needn’t pay special attention to gifted children
B a gifted child is well above others in every way
C it’s best to teach a gifted child separately
D teaching a gifted child can be challenging