You've heard of the fat suit and the pregnancy suit;now meet AGNES—the old person suit.
AGNES stands for “Age Gain Now Empathy(换位体验) System” and was designed by researchers at MIT's AgeLab to let you know what it feels like—physically—to be 75 years old.“The business of old age demands new tools,”said Joseph Coughlin,director of the AgeLab.“While focus groups and observations and surveys can help you understand what the older consumer needs and wants,young marketers never get that‘Ah ha!’moment of having difficulty opening a jar, or getting in and out of a car.That’s what AGNES provides.”
Coughlin and his team carefully adjusted the suit to make the wearer just as uncomfortable as an old person who has spent a lifetime eating poorly and not doing much exercise.Special shoes provide a feeling of imbalance,while braces on the knees and elbows limit joint mobility.Gloves give the feeling of decreased strength and mobility in the hands and wrists,and earplugs make it difficult to hear high—pitched sounds and soft tones.A helmet with straps(带)attached to it presses the spine(脊柱),and more straps attached to the shoes decrease hamstring flexibility, and shortens the wearer's step.
AGNES has been used most recently by a group of students working on a design of an updated walker.By wearing the suit they could see for themselves what design and materials would make the most sense for a physically limited older person.Coughlin said the suit has also been used by clothing companies,car companies and retail goods companies to help them understand the limitations of an older consumer.
“AGNES is not the destiny of everybody,” he said.“She is a badly behaved lady who didn't eat and exercise very well.A secondary benefit we’ve found with AGNES is that it has become a powerful tool to get younger people to invest in their long-term health.”AGNES has been developed to .
A.make the users more comfortable |
B.1et us understand old people better |
C.help old people move more quickly |
D.produce new tools for the old-age business |
“An updated walker”(underlined)most likely refers to .
A.someone who travels a lot |
B.a physically limited old person |
C.some equipment that helps old people walk |
D.a company whose service involves old people |
Which may be a fact resulting from the “secondary benefit” of AGNES?
A.Young people respect old people. |
B.Old-age business improves their service |
C.Old people eat and exercise well. |
D.Young people eat and exercise well. |
Amy and Mark Blaubach were very excited about adopting a child from an orphanage (孤儿院). They thought they would adopt a baby girl. After waiting one and a half years, the social worker asked them to consider adopting a six-year-old boy named Jerry.
After the adoption papers were signed, Amy asked if Jerry had a good friend at the orphanage. Jerry said his best friend was Zack. That was the first time that Amy heard about Zack.
Then Jerry went to his new home with Amy and Mark, where he lived happily and adjusted very well. However, Jerry kept talking about his best friend that he had left behind at the orphanage. So Amy became determined to try and find out more about Zack.
She came across a database specifically for families who had adopted children from the orphanage where she met Jerry. The database allowed parents to enter their child’s name and his or her adoption information. As Amy looked through the database, she found what appeared to be a possible match of her son’s best friend. After sending a new e-mails back and forth, Amy was sure to have the right Zack. He had adopted by Rae and Bruce Hostetler two weeks before. To her surprise, the two families were living in the same city. Then she decided to give these two friends a special reunion (重逢)
On a sunny Sunday, the two boys finally met each other again. When Jerry asked Zack, “Do you remember me?” Zack quickly answered, “Yes! Let’s go and play!” That led to hours of laughter and play. Rae and Amy were excited to see how well their sons got along, and what an amazing bond(联系) they had. Thanks to both families, that special bond between Zack and Jerry can continue for the rest of their lives.What can we learn from the first two paragraphs?
A.Amy and Mark thought they would adopt a baby boy. |
B.Amy and Mark were unwilling to adopt Jerry. |
C.Amy had met Zack before he left the orphanage |
D.Amy knew that Zack and Jerry were good friends. |
After Jerry left the orphanage ________.
A.he wasn’t happy in his new home |
B.he couldn’t adapt to his new environment |
C.he missed his friend very much |
D.he left guilty about leaving his friend behind |
What can we learn about Zack from the fourth paragraph?
A.He was found at the orphanage by Amy. |
B.He was living in the same city as Jerry. |
C.He would be adopted by Amy and Mark. |
D.The boy named Zack in the database wasn’t Jerry’s friend. |
Which of the following is TURE according to the last paragraph?
A.The boys met again at Amy’s home. |
B.The boys couldn’t get along with each other any longer. |
C.When they met again, the boys didn’t recognize each other at first. |
D.The boys can keep in touch with each other for the rest of their lives. |
What is the best title for this text?
A.How to Adopt a Child |
B.Amy and Her Adopted Child |
C.A Story in an Orphanage |
D.A Very Special Reunion |
Most people agree that it’s important to have a sense of humour. Having the ability to laugh can help one overcome anxiety, and make better decisions in difficult situations. People with a well-developed sense of humour appear to be happier, and some are healthier as well. This suggests that having a sense of humour is good for you. Humourless people may find themselves being treated as a fool, and become anxious and upset.
A sense of humour also plays an important role in human relationships. However, not everyone has a sense of humour. People with developmental disabilities (发展性能力丧失) can sometimes have no sense of humour, or have a very strange one.
A number of factors affect a person’s sense of humour, with the age probably being the main one. Young children are often highly amused by simple jokes or shows, while teenagers prefer to enjoy the ironic (讽刺的) events. Educational level, culture, and religious faith also affect one’s sense of humour. While Christians, for example, may have a deep appreciation of jokes about the Bible, others may find them disrespectful.
Many people believe that a sense of humour is something that develops on its own, and that you cannot teach someone to understand why jokes, certain comments, situations or events are funny. However, things can be done to enhance one’s sense of humour. Children, for example, benefit from being told jokes and encouraged to laugh, although some children’s jokes might seem rather strange to adults. If you have children, try to encourage them to tell jokes and think about what makes things funny. And it will help them develop a sense of humour.The purpose of the passage is to _______.
A.explain what influences a person’s sense of humour |
B.tell readers the importance of being healthy |
C.explain how to make better decisions |
D.tell readers how to understand jokes |
What does the underlined word in Paragraph 4 "enhance" probably mean?
A.Enjoy. | B.Reduce. | C.Improve. | D.Prevent. |
According to the passage, which of the following doesn’t influence one’s sense of humour?
A.Culture. | B.Age. |
C.Educational level. | D.Family backgrounds. |
Universal Studios Hollywood, a park for fun, entertainment, and even learning, is taking its first steps in a 25-year plan to expand itself. The plan is to expand the amusement facilities (设施) and develop a residential (住宅的) neighborhood in the area. "I’m really excited about what’s happening here," one visitor said.
Originally known as Universal City, Universal Studios Hollywood was founded in 1915 by Carl Laemmle. It was the first studio offering tours during which people could watch films in production. Since then, Universal Studios Hollywood has grown to include theme parks, restaurants, hotels, shopping malls, and etc. This park proved to be so popular that Universal Studios Florida opened in 1990.
With such past success and growth, it’s no wonder that Universal Studios Hollywood is excited about its latest plans for expansion. The original plans had to be changed because of environmental regulations (规章), but now they are ready to move ahead at full speed.
While many new attractions are in the works for the new expansion, Universal Studios Hollywood will keep some of its old attractions, such as the Bates Mansion from the film Psychoand the Shark from Jaws. These attractions offer a look at the historical development of the film industry, and show the advances in film-production techniques over the years. But while preserving the past, plenty of new high-tech sound stages, rides, and theaters are in the works. In May, Citywalk, a shopping, dining, and entertainment facility, began undergoing renovations (整修), and spring also saw the opening of Sky Venture Hollywood, an attraction where visitors can float 40 feet into the air on 125 mph winds.As a result of the popularity of Universal Studios Hollywood, ______.
A.other parks were opened |
B.homeowners lost their houses |
C.Carl Laemmle decided to produce films |
D.more environmental regulations have been made |
The visitor in the first paragraph holds a(n) _________ attitude towards the expansion.
A.supportive | B.doubtful | C.objective | D.Negative |
Why will Universal Studios Hollywood preserve some old attractions?
A.They’re too costly to replace. |
B.They show the history of the film industry. |
C.They’re more popular than others. |
D.They are more beautiful than the new ones. |
From the passage we learn that Universal Studios Hollywood ____.
A.was built as a theme park at first |
B.was not allowed to expand at first |
C.has finished its changes already |
D.has been in Florida for 30 years |
Paparazzi, or "paps", are photographers who take pictures of famous people when they are not at the center of public attention. Paps are different from professional photographers or journalists because they never take ordinary photos.
The goal for paparazzi is to get pictures that no one else will get and then sell the pictures to the buyer who offers the most money —normally a small newspaper, magazine or website.
There is no law against paparazzi taking pictures in public places. However, there are laws that protect certain individuals. For example, child protection laws stop improper (不合适的) pictures of anyone under 16 from being published.
There is also no law that stops paparazzi from following celebrities (名人) and taking their pictures either. However, if paps are secretly following them and taking pictures of their faces, they could get into trouble.
Most paparazzi hang out on streets and hot spots for celebrities, waiting for the opportunity to take a picture of a star. Many stay on the streets until the early hours of the morning when celebrities are leaving nightclubs and looking a little worse for wear. However, some have other ways to make sure they get pictures. Many paps are in contact with "informers" who know the locations of celebrities at any given time. They then pass the information on to paparazzi. An informer could be anyone —from a restaurant waiter to a salesman.
Most of the time, paparazzi get a bad reputation for following celebrities. But sometimes stars or their managers will contact paps themselves and tell them exactly where and when they will go.
What a love-hate relationship between paparazzi and celebrities!Which of the following things paparazzi might do would be against the law?
A.Taking pictures of famous people in public places. |
B.Getting unsuitable pictures of a 10-year-old actress published. |
C.Following a famous woman singer secretly and taking her pictures. |
D.Hanging out at the places where celebrities often appear. |
In order to earn big money a pap has to ________.
A.get the only first-hand pictures |
B.sell the pictures to a big newspaper |
C.make friends with famous people |
D.know the locations of celebrities |
The fifth paragraph mainly tells us ________.
A.how paparazzi get the pictures |
B.how dangerous paparazzi’s job is |
C.how much paparazzi pay for the pictures |
D.how paparazzi contact informers |
What can we infer from the passage?
A.Paparazzi always take pictures when famous people are tired. |
B.Stars hate paparazzi and don’t want to be followed. |
C.Paparazzi and famous people rely on each other sometimes. |
D.Informers might get paparazzi into trouble. |
Opened in 1971, the Magic Kingdom was the first theme park at Walt Disney World. All Disney World theme parks are open 365 days a year, although opening and closing times for each park are different from day to day. Ifyou are traveling without kids, try to visit it on a school day to avoid the largest crowds. If you need to visit it during a school vacation, try at least to avoid the week between Christmas and New Year’s Day and the Fourth of July.
If you are not staying at a Disney World hotel, avoid visiting the Magic Kingdom on its Extra Magic Hours days. The hotel guests get into the park early on those days, increasing the waiting time for visitors who arrive at the normal opening time.
Buy your Walt Disney World tickets online at Disney World’s website. There will be some advice on picking the right ticket. See the guide to Disney World tickets. You will also need to call in advance to make lunch or dinner reservations (预订). Disney accepts reservations, through 1-407-WDW-DINE, up to 180 days in advance. Time does pass quickly, so you should call six months before your trip to get a lunch reservation in the castle. We suggest you should have your lunch at Cinderella’s Royal Table for your tour. If you can’t get the reservation, ask for the Liberty Tree Tavern instead.
Keep in mind that to reach the Magic Kingdom, you must park at Disney World’s Transportation and Ticket Center (TTC) parking lot, take a tram (有轨电车), and then take a boat across the Seven Seas Lagoon to the Magic Kingdom. We learn from the passage that ______.
A.children are not allowed to visit Disney World on New Year’s Day |
B.Disney World theme parks have the same opening and closing times |
C.a single adult had better visit the Magic Kingdom on a school day |
D.the Magic Kingdom was the earliest theme park in the world |
If you want to have dinner in the Walt Disney World, you can ______.
A.see the guide to Disney World tickets to reserve a table |
B.make a call to reserve a table for dinner in advance |
C.use 1-407-WDW-DINE to reserve about 3 months in advance |
D.go to Cinderella’s Royal Table or the Liberty Tree Tavern at any time you like |
Which of the following is TRUE according to passage?
A.Disney World theme parks will be closed on Christmas Day. |
B.The only way to get Walt Disney World tickets is to buy them online. |
C.Visitors have to reach the Magic Kingdom by tram and then boat. |
D.The Magic Kingdom has Extra Magic Hours every day. |
What would be the best title for this passage?
A.The History of the Magic Kingdom |
B.A Brief Introduction to the Magic Kingdom |
C.Advice on Making a Trip to the Magic Kingdom |
D.The Most Important Theme Park at Walt Disney World |