A team of engineers at Harvard University has been inspired by Nature to create the first robotic fly. The mechanical fly has become a platform for a series of new high-tech integrated systems. Designed to do what a fly does naturally, the tiny machine is the size of a fat housefly. Its mini wings allow it to stay in the air and perform controlled flight tasks.
“It’s extremely important for us to think about this as a whole system and not just the sum of a bunch of individual components (元件),” said Robert Wood, the Harvard engineering professor who has been working on the robotic fly project for over a decade. A few years ago, his team got the go-ahead to start piecing together the components. “The added difficulty with a project like this is that actually none of those components are off the shelf and so we have to develop them all on our own,” he said.
They engineered a series of systems to start and drive the robotic fly. “The seemingly simple system which just moves the wings has a number of interdependencies on the individual components, each of which individually has to perform well, but then has to be matched well to everything it’s connected to,” said Wood. The flight device was built into a set of power, computation, sensing and control systems. Wood says the success of the project proves that the flying robot with these tiny components can be built and manufactured.
While this first robotic flyer is linked to a small, off-board power source, the goal is eventually to equip it with a built-in power source, so that it might someday perform data-gathering work at rescue sites, in farmers’ fields or on the battlefield. “Basically it should be able to take off, land and fly around,” he said.
Wood says the design offers a new way to study flight mechanics and control at insect-scale. Yet, the power, sensing and computation technologies on board could have much broader applications. “You can start thinking about using them to answer open scientific questions, you know, to study biology in ways that would be difficult with the animals, but using these robots instead,” he said. “So there are a lot of technologies and open interesting scientific questions that are really what drives us on a day to day basis.”The robotic fly project has been conducted __________.
| A．just by accident |
| B．within a decade |
| C．just by a professor |
| D．for more than ten years |
The difficulty the team of engineers met with while making the robotic fly was that __________.
| A．they had no model in their mind |
| B．they did not have sufficient time |
| C．they had no ready-made components |
| D．they could not assemble the components |
Which of the following can be learned from the passage?
| A．The robotic flyer is designed to learn about insects. |
| B．Animals are not allowed in biological experiments. |
| C．There used to be few ways to study how insects fly. |
| D．Wood’s design can replace animals in some experiments. |
Which of the following might be the best title of the passage?
| A．Father of Robotic Fly |
| B．Inspiration from Engineering Science |
| C．Robotic Fly Imitates Real Life Insect |
| D．Harvard Breaks Through in Insect Study |
United States and Canada are multicultural countries with many national, religious and cultural differences, where people attach great importance to individualism—the uniqueness among people. Teachers value the qualities that make each student special and different. You can see such values through their educational systems. For example, students needn’t memorize lots of information. Instead, they work independently and find answers on their own. There are discussions for children to show their own ideas and opinions.
By contrast, people have the same language, history, and culture in most Asian societies. As a result, Asia’s educational system reflects society’s belief in group goals and purposes rather than individualism. Children in China, Japan, and Korea learn to work together and help one another in assignments. And the teaching methods are often very formal and serious. In class, teachers give lectures while students listen and take notes. Discussion is replaced by reciting rules of information that have been memorized.
These two systems both have advantages and disadvantages. One advantage in Japan is that there is much more math and science than American students learn by the end of high school. In addition, students study more hours each day and more days each year than North Americans do. The difficult system also prepares students for a society that place emphasis on discipline and self-control. However, while memorization is an important learning method in Japanese schools, yet many students admit forgetting much of the information that they have memorized after exams.
On the other hand, the educational system in North American has an advantage that students learn to think for themselves, which prepares them for a society that values creativity. The disadvantage is that when they graduate from high school, they haven’t recited as many basic rules and facts as students in other countries have.People in multicultural countries such as the US or Canada lay more stress on __________.
| A．team work | B．self-control | C．discipline | D．individualism |
What is the advantage of the educational system in North America？
| A．There is not much discussion. |
| B．Learning to think for themselves |
| C．Learning much less math and science |
| D．They haven’t memorized basic rules and facts. |
Which words is most suitable to describe the author's attitude in writing this passage?
| A．Supportive | B．Opposite | C．Objective | D．Subjective |
The main idea of this passage is___________.
| A．cultural differences in countries such as the United States or Canada |
| B．comparisons of educational system between North America and Asia |
| C．there are more advantages of Asian education system of than that of North American |
| D．there are more disadvantages of Asian education system than that of North American |
One of my most unforgettable experiences is the day I finished my tough rowing and keep myself free of loneliness.
As the youngest female ever to row alone across the Atlantic Ocean, I was often asked the same question: How did you, a only 20-year old youngster row a 18-foot boat for 70 days through those strong winds and violent waves and survive?
Frankly speaking, for me, the physical challenge was not the greatest one. Before I made my mind to row across the Atlantic, I had already cycled 3,300 miles, run all by myself across the Mojave Desert, and swum the 325-mile length of the Allegheny River. No, the hardest part would be mental: How would I cope with the terrible loneliness and the boredom on the vast sea for such a long time?
I set out on January 1 and my first object was to swim past the quarter-way mark, which would take about 20 days. I made it on January 20, a gray and cloudy day. I had thought to do something to celebrate my first goal such as treating myself to a chocolate bar or something else. But I didn’t. I was suffering from unbearable boredom and loneliness of the long sea journey. I hadn’t seen any landing at least more than two weeks. It seemed to feel the same every day. Eating, rowing, sleeping, staring at the sky, watching the ocean.
Then that day came! It was around dusk, I noticed something move on the horizon. Yes, some dolphins! They approached me and circled my boat. Suddenly I felt so blessed. They had arrived to accompany me and helped to celebrate, just when I needed them so badly! For the next 15 minutes, I did row at full speed with all my strength with those lovely dolphins around. By the time they were to leave me and we went our separate ways, I was no longer lonely.
After 70 days and five hours at sea, I finally reached my final destination. I was proud that I made it, all 2,817 miles, which helped to raise $70,000 for the Blue Planet Run Foundation, an organization for funding drinking water. I’ve been told some athletes struggled to get through just by imagining the end during the whole process. But for me, what makes miracle is to focus your mind on the moment, where you experience the personal growth—those moments of awareness of being connected to the sun, the weather, and the waves. And, on the best day of my life, I had to admit those dolphins really freed myself from terrible loneliness.Which of the following belongs to part of preparation for the row?
| A．Answering the same question raised by people |
| B．Swimming the 325-mile length of the river |
| C．Running 3,300 miles cross-country |
| D．Biking across the Mojave Desert |
The underlined part means ___________.
| A．I wasn’t in the mood to celebrate my first goal |
| B．I didn’t have any chocolate bar for energy |
| C．It’s a pity not to celebrate my passing the quarter |
| D．It’s a pity not to treat myself to a chocolate bar |
What can be implied from the last two paragraphs?
| A．The Blue Planet Run Foundation helped me a lot. |
| B．The dolphins accompanied me to reach my destination |
| C．The unexpected dolphins swept away my loneliness |
| D．Imagination was a useful way to help me get through |
Which can be the best title of the passage?
| A．The only challenge for a 20-year old |
| B．Tips on handling loneliness at sea. |
| C．How to row alone across the Atlantic |
| D．The day I stopped being lonely |
The Museum: The only surviving London home of Dickens( from 1837 until 1839),the Charles Dickens Museum in London, is the world’s most important collection of material relating to the great Victorian novelist. It was opened in 1925 and there are four floors together. People can have a good look
at paintings, rare editions, manuscripts（手稿）, original furniture and many items relating to the life of Dickens.
Opening Hours
☆ From Mondays to Saturdays 10:00—17:00; Sundays 11:00—17:00.
☆ No admission within 30 minutes before closing time.
☆ Groups can ask for special opening times for a private view.
Admission Fees: Families: £14.00 ( 2 adults & up to five children)
Students: £4.00; Seniors: £4.00; Children: £3.00; Adults: £5.00;
Group Admission: A special group charge of £4.00 for any group of 10 or more. Children will still be admitted for £3.00 each.
Access: We are trying to improve our collection and the access to the Museum for the disabled. Our on-going projects include the fitting of a wheelchair ramp for better access, a customer care kit and an audio tour for visitors with vision problem. Our Handling Sessions are also suitable for people with disabilities such as eye problems. There’s an online virtual（虚拟的）tour through the Museum. Just click here to visit all the rooms in the Museum online.
Rent the Museum: You can pay to use our museum for private functions, performances, parties and other social occasions.
Transport to the Museum: You can come to the Museum by the following ways
☆ Buses:7,17, 19, 38, 45, 46, 55, 243.
☆ Underground services: Piccadilly Line; Central Line.
☆ Click here for a map. The British Museum is within walking distance.The passage is most probably taken from a(n)________.
| A．textbook | B．newspaper | C．website | D．magazine |
If a family with two adults and five children go to the Museum together, they will save _____compared to going there separately.
| A．£25.00 | B．£ 14.00 | C．£ 11.00 | D．£9.00 |
According to the passage, which of the following statements is TRUE?
| A．The Museum is located near the British Museum. |
| B．Visitors with poor vision cannot enjoy the Museum. |
| C．In any case people cannot visit the Museum after 17:00. |
| D．No one is allowed to use the Museum for other uses. |
The main purpose of the passage is to _______.
| A．persuade more people to visit the Charles Dickens Museum. |
| B．tell readers about the history of the Charles Dickens Museum. |
| C．introduce different functions of the Charles Dickens Museum. |
| D．tell readers how to make use of the Charles Dickens Museum. |
My alarm o’clock rings in my ears at 5:00 every morning. On hearing the ring, I will get out of bed and put on my glasses. The house is quiet as I walk downstairs while my husband and three kids sleep in peace. Instead of going for a long run as usual, today I chose my favorite exercise DVD and started moving. Sweat rolled down my face and into my eyes. My heart beat wildly as I face my body to finish each movement before a mirror. Of course I felt extremely tired towards the end, but a smile spread across my face. I smiled because the DVD was over, and there appeared a brighter smile of success from pushing my body to its extreme limit.
While some people are fond of chocolate, shopping, smoking, or work, what I need is taking exercise to pass each day. People shake their heads when they see me run with sweating heavily through the town. Some look surprised when I refuse to try just one bite of chocolate cake. They seem greatly puzzled by my “no thank you,” or by my choice to just have a vegetable salad. I have come to realize that it doesn’t matter to just say “No.” to any kind of food that I don’t want to eat.
Do you wonder what drives me to roll out of bed at 5:00 a.m. every morning? What makes me refuse ice cream firmly? Commitment—I’m determined to change my life with a way which can not only free me from daily anxiety, but also increase energy and self–confidence. And above all it will surely help me to keep good body shape and maybe extend my life. This is the real reason why there’s a huge smile spreading across my face when I look at myself in the mirror or try on my favorite pair of jeans that now fit me just right and look perfectly on me. I never doubt that I cannot make a difference within myself inside and out without such commitment and sweat.From the text we can conclude that the author___________.
| A．desires to look different from others. |
| B．expects to develop a good body shape. |
| C．has difficulty getting along with others. |
| D．behaves strangely every morning she gets up |
Which statement is TRUE according to Paragraph 2 ?
| A．Others don’t understand the author. |
| B．Others help the author by offering her food. |
| C．The author doesn’t understand others. |
| D．The author hates to make others surprised. |
The underlined word “commitment” in the last paragraph refers to ________.
| A．good health | B．firm belief | C．a habit | D．a permission |
Why is there a smile on the author’s face in the morning?
| A．Because she sees her family sleeping peacefully. |
| B．Because she finishes her favorite exercise. |
| C．Because she enjoys the inspiring DVD music. |
| D．Because she feels a sense of achievement |
Humans are naturally drawn to other life forms and the worlds outside of our own. We take delight in the existence of creatures and even whole societies beyond our everyday lives.
This sense of wonder is universal. Look at the efforts that scientists have made to find out whether life of some kind exists on Mars, and the popularity of fantasy(幻想) literature or movies like The Lord of the Rings. This sense of wonder draws us to each other, to the world around us, and to the world of make-believe(虚假). But have we gone so far in creating worlds of fantasy that we are missing the pleasure of other worlds that already exist all around us?
Human beings, as biologists have suggested, possess an inborn desire to connect with and understand other life forms. However, people, especially in big cities, often lead rather isolated(隔离的) lives. In a study of British schoolchildren, it was found that children by age eight were much more familiar with characters from television shows and video games than with common wildlife. Without modern technology, a small pond could be an amazing world filled with strange and beautiful plants, insects, birds, and animals. When we lack meaningful interaction(交互) with the world around us, and sometimes even with our families and friends, we seek to understand and communicate with things that exist only in our imaginations or on a computer screen。
The world of make-believe is not necessarily bad. But when the world of fantasy becomes the only outlet(出路) for our sense of wonder, then we are really missing something. We are missing a connection with the living world. Other wonderful worlds exist all around us. But even more interesting is that if we look closely enough, we can see that these worlds, in a broad sense, are really part of our own.The popularity of The Lord of the Rings proves.
| A．the close connection between man and the fantasy world |
| B．the wonderful achievements of fantasy literature |
| C．the general existence of the sense of curiosity |
| D．the fine taste of moviegoers around the world |
What can we infer from the underlined sentence in Paragraph 3?
| A．The world around us could serve as a source of wonder. |
| B．People are far less familiar with the world of fantasy. |
| C．The world of fantasy can be mirrored by a small and lively pond. |
| D．Modern technology prevents us from developing our sense of wonder. |
If our sense of wonder relies totally on the world of make-believe, we will
| A．be confused by the world of make-believe |
| B．fail to appreciate the joy in our lives |
| C．miss the chance to recognize the fantasy world |
| D．be trapped by other worlds existing all around us |
What is the main purpose of the passage?
| A．To show us the hidden beauty in our world. |
| B．To discuss the influence of the world of make-believe. |
| C．To argue against the misuse of the sense of wonder. |
| D．To warn us not to get lost in the fantasy world. |