In some science fiction movies, evil robots refuse to die, no matter how hard people fight back.
Now science fiction has become science fact. For the first time, scientists have made a robot that can take a beating(挨打) and keep on going. Scientists from Cornell University made the robot, which looks like a spider with four legs.
Until now, even the most advanced(先进的) robot was almost certain to break down when it was damaged(毁坏). That is because its computer inside simply doesn’t know how to make the machine work after its shape has changed.
To deal with this problem, the scientists put eight motors(发动机) and two sensors(传感器) that read how the machine is working. They all give signals to the machine’s software. Using this information, the computer can then figure out the machine’s shape at any moment.
The new technology is a big advance in robot-making, scientists say, and it’s far from scary. It may someday help scientists create better artificial(假的) arms and legs and give new freedom to people who lose them. It might also help scientists understand how people and animals figure out their own sense of place in space.
“It has been difficult to design robots that can work well when the environment changes or when it’s damaged,” says Olaf Sporns of Indiana University in US. “With this work, we are nearer to solving this problem.”Why do robots easily break down when they are damaged?
A.They cannot repair themselves. |
B.The computer has changed a lot. |
C.They have no computers inside. |
D.The computer cannot work if the robot changes |
The new technology allows the robot to .
A.do housework for humans |
B.keep working after being damaged |
C.remember a lot of information |
D.tell people where it is |
The underline word “them” in Paragraph 5 refers to .
A.sensors | B.robots | C.arms and legs | D.scientists |
How do the sensors in the robot work?
A.They can replace the computer when it’s broken. |
B.They can find out where the damage comes from. |
C.They help the computer learn the robot’s condition. |
D.They can send signals to the person who uses the robot. |
阅读表达请根据短文内容,回答下面问题,每空不超过8个词。
Millvina Dean, Titanic’s last survivor, died on May 31, 2009 in Southampton. She was 97 and had been in poor health for several weeks.
The youngest of the ship’s 705 survivors, Ms. Dean was only 9 weeks old when the Titanic hit an iceberg (冰山) on the night of April 14, 1912. She survived with her mother and her 2-year-old brother. Mr. Dean, 29, was taking his family to a new life in Kansas City. He planned to run a tobacconist’s (烟草商) shop there. He was among more than 1,500 passengers and crew members who died in the sinking.
Ms. Dean never married and spent her working life in Southampton. For many years after the sinking, she never spoke of it to people she met or worked with, partly because she remembered nothing about it and partly because she did not want to be seen as drawing attention to herself.
But that changed after Sep. 1, 1985 when the wreck (残骸) of the Titanic was discovered. That set off a wave of interest in the ship, especially after the movie Titanic. “They found the wreck and after they found the wreck, they found me,” she said.
In the last 20 years of her life, she went to gatherings in the USA, Canada and a number of European countries to take part in events related to the sinking. She said she had learned from her mother about what happened during the sinking.
Ms. Dean had never seen Titanic. She explained she was unwilling to be reminded of what had happened to her father.How old was Millvina Dean when the Titanic sank?
__________________________________________________________Why did the Deans take the Titanic?
____________________________________________________________When was the wreck (残骸) of the Titanic discovered?
____________________________________________________________How many times had Ms. Dean ever seen the movie Titanic?
____________________________________________________________What’s the passage mainly about?
____________________________________________________________
To us, it seems so natural to put up an umbrella to keep the water off when it rains. But in fact the umbrella was not invented as protection against the rain. Its first use was as a shade (遮蔽) against the sun.
Nobody knows who first invented it, but the umbrella was used in very ancient times. Probably the first to use it were the Chinese, back in the eleventh century BC.
We know that the umbrella was used in ancient Egypt and Babylon as a sunshade. And there was a strange thing connected with its use : it became a symbol of honor and power(权力). In the Far East in ancient times, the umbrella was allowed to be used only by those in high office or by royal people such as the kings or queens.
In Europe, the Greeks were the first to use the umbrella as a sunshade. The umbrella was in common use in ancient Greece, but it is believed that the first people in Europe to use the umbrella as protection against the rain were the ancient Romans. During the middle ages in Europe, the use of the umbrella almost disappeared. Then it appeared again in Italy in the late sixteenth century. And again it became a symbol of power.
Umbrellas have not changed much in style during all this time, though they have become much lighter in weight. It wasn't until the twentieth century that the umbrellas for women began to be made in all kinds of colors. Ancient people first used umbrellas as _________.
A.a symbol of honor | B.protection against the sun |
C.a symbol of power | D.protection against the rain |
According to the passage, the umbrella was probably first used in ancient ______.
A.Egypt . | B.Babylon | C.Rome | D.China |
The underlined word royal might mean _ in Chinese.
A.皇室的 | B.富裕的 | C.中产的 | D.平民的 |
According to the passage, which of the following is NOT true?
A.The ancient Greeks used the umbrella in their daily life. |
B.Europeans hardly used the umbrella during the middle ages. |
C.The umbrellas for women were made colorful in ancient times. |
D.The style of the umbrella hasn't changed a lot since it was invented |
This passage is mainly about ___________.
A.the sales of the umbrella |
B.the differences among umbrellas |
C.the invention of the umbrella |
D.the history and the use of the umbrella |
Around the world more and more people are taking part in dangerous sports and activities. Of course, there have always been people who have looked for adventure-those who have climbed the highest mountains, traveled into unknown parts of the world or sailed in small boats across the greatest oceans. Now, however, there are people who look for an excitement from a risky activity which may only last a few minutes or even seconds.
I would consider bungee jumping (蹦极跳)to be a good example of such an activity. You jump from a high place (perhaps a bridge or a hot-air balloon)200 meters above the ground with an elastic (有弹性的) rope tied to your ankles. You fall at up to l50 kilometers an hour until the rope stops you from hitting the ground. It is said that two million people around the world have now tried bungee jumping. Other risky activities include jumping from tall buildings and diving into the sea from the top of high cliffs.
Why do people take part in such activities as these? Some psychologists suggest that it is because life in modern societies has become safe and boring. Not very long ago, people's lives were often in danger. They had to go out and hunt for food, diseases could not easily be cured, and life was harder than that of the present days.
Nowadays, according to many people, life offers little excitement. They live and work in safe environment; they buy food in shops; and there are doctors and hospitals to look after them if they become ill. The answer for some of these people is to look for danger in activities such as bungee jumping.More and more people today ______.
A.are trying activities such as bungee jumping |
B.are climbing the highest mountains |
C.are coming close to death in sports |
D.are looking for adventures such as exploring unknown places |
In bungee jumping, you ______.
A.jump as high as you can |
B.slide down a rope to the ground |
C.tie yourself to a rope and fall to the ground |
D.fall towards the ground without a rope |
People probably take part in dangerous sports nowadays because ______.
A.they have a lot of free time |
B.they can go to hospital if they are injured |
C.there isn’t so much excitement in life. |
D.they no longer need to hunt for food |
Which of the following is the best title for this passage?
A.Modern Life is Boring |
B.Dangerous Sports: What and Why |
C.Is Bungee Jumping Really Dangerous |
D.Need for Excitement |
Spending two or three hours playing outdoors each day can reduce the chance of becoming short-sighted(近视), a research shows. It challenges the belief(信念) that short-sightedness is caused by computer use, watching TV or reading in weak light.
The Australian government researchers believe that the sunlight is good for people’s eyes. They studied the vision(视力) and habits of 100 seven-year-old children in Singapore and Australia. In all, 30% of the Singaporean children were short-sighted—this rate(比率) was ten times higher than Australian children.
Both groups spend a similar amount(数量) of time reading, watching television and playing computer games. However the Singaporean children spent an average (平均) of only half an hour a day outdoors—90 minutes less than the Australian children.
Professor Ian Morgan, from the Australian Research Council’s vision Centre, said, “Humans are naturally long-sighted, but when people begin to go to school and spend little or no time outdoors, the number of short-sighted people gets larger. We’re also seeing more and more short-sighted children in cities all around the world and the main reason may be that city children spend less time outdoors.
Daylight can be hundreds of times brighter than indoor light. But why does playing outside prevent us from becoming short-sighted ? Scientists believe that natural light has a special chemical(化学物质) which stops the eyeball from growing out of shape and prevents people from becoming short-sighted.
So be outdoors. It doesn’t matter if that time is spent having a picnic or having sports.How much time did the Australian children spend outdoors on average according to the research?
A.30 minutes. | B.60 minutes. |
C.90 minutes | D.120 minutes. |
Which of the following is TRUE according to the passage?
A.If people spend less time outdoors, they will certainly become short-sighted. |
B.There are fewer short-sighted Singaporean Children than Australian children because they have more knowledge of protecting their eyesight. |
C.There will be fewer risks of getting short-sighted if people spend two or three hours a day playing outside. |
D.When people begin to go to school, they will become long-sighted. |
What is the fifth paragraph mainly about?
A.Why natural daylight has a special chemical. |
B.Why daylight prevents people from becoming short-sighted. |
C.Why daylight is much brighter than indoor light. |
D.What the special chemical which can stop eyeballs from growing out of shape is. |
Everyone has got two personalities---the one that is shown to the world and the other that is secret and real. You don't show your secret personality when you're awake because you can control yourself, but when you're asleep, your sleeping position shows the real you. At night, of course, you often change your sleeping position. The important position that best shows your secret personality is at the beginning of your sleep.
If you go to sleep on your back, you're a very open person. You often trust people and you are easily influenced by fashion or new ideas. You don't like to make people unhappy, so you never express your real feelings. You're quite shy and you aren't very confident.
If you sleep on your stomach, you are a person who likes to keep secrets. You worry a lot and you're always sad. You don’t want to change your ideas, but you are pleased with your life. You usually live for today not for tomorrow.
If you sleep on curled up(蜷缩), you are probably a very nervous person. You're shy and you don't like meeting people. You prefer to be on your own.
If you sleep on your side, you have usually got a well-balanced personality. You know your strengths and weaknesses. You're usually careful. You have a confident personality. You sometimes feel worried, but you don't often get unhappy. You always say what you think even if it makes people angry.When does the sleeping position best show your secret personality?
A.In the daytime. | B.At the beginning of sleep. |
C.At night. | D.During the deep sleep. |
Tina hardly tells her secrets to her friends. She probably goes to sleep ___________.
A.on curled up | B.on her stomach |
C.on her back | D.on her side |
What does the passage tell us?
A.Sleeping on your side is the best way of sleeping. |
B.Changing positions will cause sleeping problems. |
C.Sleeping positions show people’s secret personalities. |
D.Enough sheep makes people look healthier and better. |