High Speed Book Scanner
Simply turning pages of a book quickly may not seem like the best way to scan it. A Japanese research group at Tokyo University has created new software that allows hundreds of pages to be scanned within minutes. Scanning text is normally a boring process with each page having to be inserted into a scanner, but the team led by Professor Masatoshi Ishikawa uses a high speed camera that takes 500 pictures a second to scan pages as they are turned by workers.
Normal scanners can only scan the information that is actually before them on the page. This high speed book scanner uses a camera that captures pages at 1000fps as they are turned. A system built in allows it to automatically correct any changes to the text due to the page bending as well as light differences due to shadows. “It takes a shot of the shape, then it calculates the shape and uses those calculations to film the scanning,” Ishikawa said, explaining the system used to reconstruct the original page.
The current system is able to scan an average 250-page book in a little over 60 seconds using basic computer hardware. While it now requires extra time to process the scanned images (影像), the researchers hope to eventually make the technology both faster and much smaller. “In the more distant future, once it becomes possible to put all of this processing on one chip (芯片) and then put that in an iPad or iPod, one could scan just using that chip. At that point, it becomes possible to scan something quickly to save for later reading,” Ishikawa said.
Being able to scan books with an iPhone may be further off, but Ishikawa says that a commercial version of the large-scale computer based scanning system could be available in two or three years. While the technology has the potential to take paper books into the digital age, it remains to be how publishers will react to people scanning their books while just turning pages quickly. According to the passage, the advantage of the new scanning software is that ______.
| A．there is no need to scan every page |
| B．it can work much more effectively |
| C．no manpower is needed in operating the scanner |
| D．it can make the scanning process more interesting |
According to Ishikawa, the scanner works by_____.
| A．changing the shape of the images |
| B．reducing the size of the images |
| C．reconstructing the original page |
| D．scanning several pages at the same time |
What is Ishikawa’s attitude towards the development of the scanning system?
| A．Optimistic. | B．Uncertain. | C．Disapproving. | D．Cautious. |
What does the underlined sentence mean?
| A．People will get any book they like more easily. |
| B．Publishers will refuse to comment on the new software. |
| C．Publishers will probably not welcome the new software. |
| D．People won’t need to buy books any more with an iPhone. |
A recent survey of teachers found that an unhealthy passion with celebrity culture is having a negative impact on British students’ studies and it discovered that celebrity couple, the Beckhams, are the favorites among most students. Many students are ignoring building their own careers to seek a chance at fame instead, the Association of Teachers and Lecturers (ATL) survey found.
Almost two-thirds of teachers said sports stars were the type of celebrity many pupils wanted to follow while more than half of students wanted to be pop stars.
The survey said the celebrities that students aspired to mostly were David and Victoria Beckham who live in Los Angeles now. Soccer player Beckham is on the top of the survey while in second place, with almost a third of the survey’s votes, was his 33-year-old pop star wife.
Almost half of the 300 teachers surveyed said pupils tried to look like or behave like the celebrities they most admired, with some girls even dressing "unsuitably".
"We are not surprised about the influence of celebrity culture in schools —it reflects the current media passion with celebrities and the effect of celebrity culture on society as a whole," ATL general secretary Mary Bousted said in a statement.
"Celebrities can have a positive effect on pupils. They can raise pupils’ aspirations and desires for the future. However, celebrity culture can spread the idea that celebrity status is the greatest achievement and reinforce the belief that other career choices are not as valuable," said one primary school teacher. "Too many of the pupils believe that school success is unnecessary, because they will be able to get fame and fortune quite easily through a reality TV show." The story mainly tells us that ______.
| A．the Beckhams are mostly admired in Britain |
| B．most students think that being pop stars is more valuable than other career achievements |
| C．the celebrity passion has a harmful impact upon British students’ studies |
| D．a survey was made recently about the popularity of the stars |
According to the survey, Victoria Beckham ______.
| A．is a pop star most students admire |
| B．goes in the second place of the celebrities admired |
| C．won two-thirds of the votes |
| D．lives in New York now |
Why does the author mention that pupils tried to look like or behave like the celebrities they most admired, with some girls even dressing “unsuitably”?
| A．The pupils think it interesting to pretend to be the celebrities. |
| B．The behavior or the dress of celebrities can be followed as examples. |
| C．The author wants to show the negative influence these celebrities had on the students. |
| D．The author just wants to show being pop stars is very valuable to the students. |
What is not TRUE according to the story?
| A．Celebrities can’t have positive impact on the students. |
| B．Beckham and Victoria are husband and wife. |
| C．The so-called celebrity culture does harm to the pupils’ ideas about achievement. |
| D．Many students believe that school success is unnecessary. |
The best title of the story is _____.
Sports Star David Beckham
B. Survey of Students about Celebrities
C Harmful Effect of Celebrities on Students
D. Better to Be Pop Stars Than Sports Stars
One kilogram --- that was all it took to crown（给……加冕） the world's strongest man.
German weightlifter Matthias Steiner pulled ahead of Russian rival Evgeny Chigishev to win the Olympic men's +105 kg weightlifting gold medal on Tuesday.
Steiner lifted a total of 461kg, 203kg in the snatch(抓举) and 258kg in the clean and jerk(挺举), to beat Chigishev by a single kilogram. The German won the battle of giants in his last lift, winning his country's first gold medal in the event at this year's Games.
Steiner's winning lift was also the last effort of the sport for this Olympics at which China earned eight of the 15 golds.
Steiner was born in Austria and represented his country of birth at the Athens Olympics four years ago, placing seventh in the lower 105kg category, but had a falling out with Austria's weightlifting federation afterwards.
He applied for German citizenship in 2005 and got married, but his career went into deep freeze（困境）as he could not compete without a passport. He finally obtained the document last January.
The German, who turns 26 on Monday, had come to these Games on a mission to win the title for his wife Susann, who died in a car accident in July last year. The German team said he used the personal tragedy to motivate himself to win the gold medal.
Chigishev was the strongest in the snatch session Tuesday. He kissed his fists after a 210-kg lift that gave him a 7-kg advantage over fourth-placed Steiner going into the second event -- the clean and jerk. He let out a victorious roar（吼叫）after clearing 250 kg in his last lift, but the glory was short-lived as Steiner stunned（使瞠目）everyone with his final, winning clean and jerk effort.
Steiner had finished seventh in the 2004 Olympics in the 105kg weight category, and took the gold in the 2008 European Championship +105kg snatch competition, bronze in the clean and jerk and silver overall, with a total weight of 446kg.
World champion Viktors Scerbatihs of Latvia settled for bronze.Steiner won the gold by lifting ______.
| A．105 kg | B．461 kg | C．258 kg | D．210 kg |
Four years ago at the Athens Olympics Steiner represented ______.
| A．Australia | B．Germany | C．Austria | D．Russia |
The following statements are true except ______.
| A．Steiner beat Chigishev by one kilogram |
| B．Chinese weightlifting team won eight of the 15 gold medals at this year’s Games |
| C．Steiner didn’t get the passport until last February |
| D．Steiner got a bronze in the 2008 European Championship +105kg clean and jerk competition |
. It can be inferred from the story that _____.
| A．Steiner was inspired by his unfortunate wife to win the gold medal |
| B．Chigishev was also the strongest in the second event |
| C．it is hard to get a German citizenship |
| D．Steiner was determined to win the medal for the German team |
What is the best title of the story?
| A．Narrow Victory | B．Pitiful Failure |
| C．Gold Medal for His Dearest Wife | D．Strongest Man of the World |
Microsoft founder Bill Gates has recovered his spot at the top of the US money heap, taking the place of investor Warren Buffett as America's richest person, Forbes magazine's latest list reveals.
With 57 billion dollars net worth Gates again leads the list of 400 richest individuals in the world's wealthiest country. He displaced Buffett who briefly held the position this year but who has seen his Berkshire Hathaway investment group's shares slip 15 percent since February and is now worth 50 billion.
According to Forbes, whose list was published late Wednesday, the golden 400 have 1.3 billion dollars net worth or more. However, their combined net worth rose only 30 billion dollars, or two percent, to 1.57 trillion dollars.
Forbes said that rising oil and dizzy art prices fuelled the entry of 31 new members into the ultra-rich club and the return of eight previous members.
A notable arrival was Mark Zuckerberg, 24, founder of the social networking site Facebook（脸谱网）. Forbes estimates his worth at 1.5 billion dollars.
Meanwhile, turmoil（动荡）on the stock and housing markets saw 33 others drop off the list, including the former head of the troubled insurance giant AIG, Maurice Greenberg, and a former head of the online auction site eBay, Margaret Whitman.
Biggest gainers were led by New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg who took eighth place with 20 billion dollars worth after a transaction（交易）put a new value on his Bloomberg media and financial data network.
The biggest loser was casino（赌场，娱乐场）tycoon Sheldon Adelson, whose fortune fell 13 billion dollars over 12 months -- the equivalent to 1.5 million dollars an hour -- although he still has 15 billion dollars and occupies 15th place.
About two thirds of the list are self-made billionaires and just over 10 percent are women, led by television star Oprah Winfrey whose fortune rose 200 million dollars to 2.7 billion dollars. According to Forbes, Warren Buffet is worth _____.
| A．57 billion dollars | B．50 billion dollars | C．1.5 billion dollars | D．20 billion dollars |
31 new members entered the ultra-rich club as a result of _____.
| A．turmoil on the stock and housing market |
| B．media and financial data network |
| C．rising oil and dizzy art prices |
| D．investment |
The purpose of the author using the television star Oprah Winfrey as an example is to _____.
| A．tell the readers that television stars make money easily |
| B．prove that a millionaire can become a billionaire |
| C．women can also be billionaires |
| D．tell the readers that most of the billionaires are self-made |
It can be inferred from the story that _____.
| A．one earns much and also loses much |
| B．stability of markets has much effect upon people’s wealth |
| C．the computer industry makes more billionaires |
| D．young people can also be billionaires |
What is the best title of the passage?
| A．Bill Gates Leading World’s Richest People Again |
| B．What Made Billionaires |
| C．Self-Made Billionaires |
| D．Biggest Gainer and Biggest Loser |
Britons stranded（搁浅）at sea or in flooded homes could find a real-life prince riding to their rescue. Prince William announced on Monday that he is to train to be a full-time pilot with the Royal Air Force's Search and Rescue Force (SARF).
William, who is currently a Lieutenant（中尉）in the Army's Household Cavalry Regiment（皇家骑兵团）, will transfer to the RAF and begin an 18-month training course in January 2009.
If successful, he will become a fully operational Search and Rescue pilot in 2010, flying Sea King helicopters at one of the six SARF units based in Britain.
"The time I spent with the RAF earlier this year made me realize how much I love flying," the prince, who spent two weeks with a SARF team while on work experience in 2005, said in a statement.
"Joining Search and Rescue is a perfect opportunity for me to serve in the Forces operationally, while contributing to a vital part of the country's Emergency Services."
It means he will follow a similar career to that of his uncle, Prince Andrew, who was a Sea King helicopter pilot during the 1982 Falklands war.
The Search and Rescue teams' main duty is to recover RAF personnel but in peacetime they mainly respond to civilian emergencies, dealing with more than 1,000 calls a year.
The units deal with incidents ranging from helping those trapped by sudden major floods to rescuing people lost while out walking on hills.
William, who has spent the last year on secondment（借调）to the various branches of the military to prepare for his future role as head of the armed forces, received his RAF wings （飞行勋章）following a four-month stint（持续的工作）with the service earlier this year.
However, his time with the RAF was clouded when the Defense Ministry was forced to fend off criticism for allowing the prince to fly military helicopters to a bachelor party for his cousin and to the family home of his girlfriend Kate Middleton. Prince William wanted to be a full-time pilot because _____.
| A．he liked flying |
| B．he would like to do something in the country’s Emergency Services |
| C．many Britons were in danger at sea waiting for rescue |
| D．he had much experience in flying |
According to the passage, _____.
| A．the Falklands war broke out in 2005 |
| B．Prince William served in the Army’s Household Cavalry Regiment in 1982 |
| C．Prince Andrew is serving in SARF now |
| D．William would finish his training course in June 2010 |
It can be inferred from the passage that______.
| A．the RAF is an army that rescues its soldiers during wartime |
| B．either Andrew or William is interested in flying |
| C．there are many floods happening in Britain |
| D．the prince saving the people in danger is no longer fairy tale |
The author’s opinion on William’s joining RAF is ______.
| A．enthusiastic | B．doubtful | C．negative | D．pessimistic |
What is the purpose of the author by mentioning what the prince had done before in the last paragraph?
| A．The author wants to say that Prince William pays much attention to his family and friends |
| B．The author suggests that the Defense Ministry was criticized when William flew for his private business |
| C．William had a hard time when he went against his leaders |
| D．The author has the worry that Prince William is likely to get the Defense Ministry into trouble again. |
On the afternoon of September27, 2008, Astronaut Zhai Zhigang became the first Chinese man to walk in space on Saturday, clambering（爬上,攀登） out of China's Shenzhou VII space craft in a technological feat（成就，功绩）that made the Chinese people excited. 
"I'm feeling quite well. I greet the Chinese people and the people of the world," Zhai said as he climbed out of the craft at around 16:40 Beijing time, a historic achievement telecast live on CCTV. Tens of millions of Chinese viewers gathered before TV screens to watch the moment.
Chinese President Hu Jintao and other top leaders had appeared at the Beijing Aerospace Control Center to watch the live transmission of Zhai's spacewalk.
Zhai, 42, chosen by an expert team for the first "out-of-capsule activity," showed a red national flag, helped by colleague Liu Boming, who also briefly popped his head out of the capsule.
Zhai slowly made his way towards a test sample of solid lubricant（润滑剂）outside the capsule, took a sample and handed it to Liu.
Zhai safely returned inside the craft after about 20 minutes. The walk marked the highpoint of China's third manned space journey, which has received widespread media coverage.
Zhai wore a $4.4 million Chinese-made suit weighing 120-kg. Liu wore a Russian-made one and acted as an assistant.
The third crew member, Jing Haipeng, monitored the ship from inside the re-entry module. w.w
The risky maneuver is a step towards China's longer-term goal of building a space lab and then a larger space station, analysts said.
"On this flight, Chinese people's footprints will be left in space for the first time," said a commentary（评论）by the Xinhua news agency.
The astronauts went aboard on their walk after receiving a clean bill of health from doctors on the ground at mission control in Beijing, Xinhua said.
Zhai's suit has 10 layers and takes up to 15 hours to assemble and put on.
China's first manned spaceflight was in 2003. A second, two-manned flight followed in 2005. The only other countries that have sent people into space are Russia and the United States.
Shenzhou VII took off on Thursday and is due to land on the northern steppes(草原) of Inner Mongolia on Sunday.The space walk done by the Chinese astronaut was historic because ______.
| A．it was telecast live | B．there were more Chinese viewers than ever |
| C．it was the first space walk carried out by Chinese astronauts | |
| D．top leaders watched the space walk |
The following statements are true except ______.
| A．The lubricant put outside the capsule was a test sample |
| B．It took Zhai Zhigang about 20 minutes to return to the craft safely |
| C．Many televisions and newspapers around the world reported the event |
| D．There is an aerospace control center in the capital |
The significance of the space walk is ______.
| A．that the astronaut can work outside the spacecraft |
| B．it marks a successful step towards China’s longer-term goal of building a space lab as well as a space station |
| C．it has attracted tens of millions of people to watch the walk |
| D．that the Chinese-made space suit can be used in space |
What does the underlined word “clean” mean in the passage?
| A．healthy | B．paid-off | C．not dirty | D．clear |
The best title of the passage is ______.
| A．First Footprints of Chinese People in Space |
| B．Expensive Space Suit |
| C．Three Successful Manned Flights by Chinese Astronauts |
| D．Historic Space Walk by Chinese Astronaut |