From the same place that brought you the Robot Suit HAL comes the “motorized knee”．Designed by researchers at Japan's Tsukuba University, the device supports the flex(弯曲 ) of the knee, which enables a runner to use 30% less muscle power compared to running unassisted.
Coming in a kit (成套工具), the device consists of a small motor that helps flex the knee, a sensor that detects the knees' degree of flex, and a safety lever (杠杆)—all of which attach to the user's leg.The user is also forced to carry a backpack that holds a control unit and battery to power the motor.All up the device weighs around 5kg，which will probably lessen the performance benefits of wearing the device somewhat.In experiments runners wearing the device could jog at 7.5kmh, which is hardly anything special—but predictably they could do it for longer.
Curiously, the makers of the motorized knee say it isn't designed for the physically handicapped.Rather it is intended for people who want to run in a more efficient way.I can't help thinking this cuts down the potential market considerably.After all, most runners I know do it for the sake of their fitness.Wouldn't a device that is designed to do some of the work mean that someone would have to run for longer to receive the same fitness benefits?
Regardless, the research team expects to commercialize the kit within the next three years, by which time they also plan to have made the device significantly smaller and lighter.To make sure that the device runs smoothly，________.
| A．the user should be equipped with other related units |
| B．the device should be improved through experiments |
| C．the user shouldn't be physically handicapped |
| D．the device should be smaller and lighter |
What is the special feature of the device according to the passage?
| A．It helps its user run faster. |
| B．It helps save physical strength. |
| C．It adds more fun to running. |
| D．It helps its user keep a good shape. |
In the author's opinion, the device________.
| A．should specially serve the disabled |
| B．won't be popular with people at all |
| C．does harm to its user's health |
| D．may not sell as well as expected |
Which of the following aspects of the device is NOT mentioned in the passage?
| A．Its advantages. | B．Its components. |
| C．Its weight. | D．Its price. |
In which column of a newspaper would this passage be found?
| A．Science. | B．Health. |
| C．Education. | D．Business. |
In the past ten years, many scientists have studied the differences between men and women. And they all got the same answer: The sexes(性别) are different, because their brains are different. And this, the scientists say, makes men and women see the world in different ways.
Boys, for example, generally are better than girls at mathematical ideas. Boys also generally are better than girls at the kind of hand and eye movements necessary for ball sports. Girls, on the other hand generally start speaking earlier than boys. And they generally(通常) see better in the dark than boys and are better at learning foreign languages.
What makes men and women better at one thing or another? The answer is the brain. The brain has two sides connected by nerve(神经) tracks. The left side generally is used for mathematics, speech and writing. The right side is used for artistic creation(创造) and the expression for emotions(情感). In men and women, different areas in each side of the brain develop differently. In boys, for example, it’s the area used for mathematics. In girls, it is the area used for language skills. Another interesting difference is that the two sides of a man’s brain are connected by a smaller nerves than the two sides of a woman’s brain are.Which of the following is best to outline(概括) the article?
| A．Research on the brain. |
| B．Differences between men and women |
| C．People’s different brains. |
| D．Who Are Better, Boys or Girls |
________men and women think differently.
| A．Sex makes. |
| B．The different brains make |
| C．The different experiences make. |
| D．The influences of society make. |
According to the article, girls are generally better than boys at __ in your school.
| A．mathematics | B．physics | C．English | D．Chemistry |
Which of the following is true?
| A．The right side of brain in boys generally develops better than that in girls. |
| B．The left side of brain in girls generally develops better than that in boys. |
| C．Men are better than women in all things. |
| D．The area in girls’ brain used for language skills develops better. |
After my dad died on Aug.30, 2001, my mother made sure we marked each anniversary. At first, my brothers and sister and I would travel hours to get home, but eventually we got to the point where just one or two of us would make it back to go to Mass with her and spend the day together.
The great love of her life, the man who broke up with her right before her college graduation, only to return two years later claiming he'd traveled the world and hadn't found anyone to compare with her, remained a daily presence in her life.She spoke about him so often and kept his memory so alive that people were sometimes surprised to learn that he was gone. She took over the garden where he'd planted and made it on her own.
When the 10th anniversary of his death approached，my mom began talking about it and planning for it weeks in advance. The date on her kitchen calendar was circled and marked R．I.P. (Rest in Peace). Of course she wanted all of us there and settled the date for our coming back.
On Monday—the day before the anniversary—she went to Mass and walked downtown for lunch with friends, and later told my sister on the phone that she felt Dad still so close that as she was walking back home, she heard someone yell and thought, “Oh, there's Dick.”
That evening she went out to water flowers, just as my father, 10 years before, had gone out to the garden to pick vegetables before he died. A neighbor heard the tin watering can strike the ground as she fell and hit her head. My mother died within hours, on Aug. 30, 2011, the 10th anniversary. She needed to mark that anniversary, she_wanted_us_all_home and my dad had waited long enough.The author and her brothers and sister would________each year during the first
few years since 2001.
| A．go home to see their father |
| B．go home to see their mother |
| C．spend the special day with their mother |
| D．serve their mother on Aug.30 |
From the second paragraph we know that the author's father________.
| A．traveled around the world and left her mother |
| B．left her mother first but returned two years later |
| C．had a quarrel with her mother before her mother's graduation |
| D．was not the right man her mother wanted at that time |
We can infer from the passage that the author's mother________.
| A．knew her last day was coming on Aug.30 |
| B．kept everything of her husband's |
| C．missed her husband though he had passed away |
| D．remained a daily presence in her husband's life |
What does the writer imply in the underlined part of the last sentence?
| A．Mother wanted us to stay at home. |
| B．Mother missed us very much. |
| C．Mother expected us to get back. |
| D．That day was Mother's last day. |
Two things I really believe in—saving money and saving the planet，and it's even better when I can do something that accomplishes both at the same time.
Rainwater harvesting is just such a thing.In the near future，rainwater harvesting will be as common as twelveyearold girls carrying cell phones.
Many countries already rely heavily on rainwater.Bermuda，for example，every building on the small island collects the rainwater from its roof and stores it for later use.However，America_is_just_slightly_behind_the_curve.
There are many ways you can begin harvesting rainwater and most of them are easy and inexpensive.Use rain barrels to collect the water that would run off of your roof.You'd be surprised how fast a fiftygallon barrel will fill with free，usable water.New building construction offers some good ways to gather rainwater，and the cost of installation is usually offset by reduced usage very quickly.Roof drains can be piped into underground tanks，where a pump can draw it up as needed.
The rainwater can even be treated to make it drinkable...but wait—there's more！If that rainwater were not collected，but allowed to run over your lawn，into the street and eventually to a stormwater treatment facility，it would pick up all sorts of pollutants on its journey—fertilizers and pesticides from the grass，motor oil，antifreeze and such from the roads，and who knows what else.
Depending on where you live，the stormwater may be piped to a treatment plant or it may run in natural channels to allow nature to remove the pollutants.Either way，the treatment of stormwater is costly.If you reduce the amount of stormwater runoff from your home or office，you reduce the need for treatment.
Water is rapidly becoming one of our most precious resources and it is not as abundant as you may think.In the year 2000，the United States used approximately 326 billion gallons of fresh water per day.What does the underlined sentence “America is just slightly behind the curve” mean?
| A．Americans don't show interest in harvesting rainwater. |
| B．There is no need for Americans to harvest rainwater. |
| C．Harvesting rainwater in America is not that common. |
| D．Americans can't collect rainwater from the roof correctly. |
According to the passage，harvesting rainwater can ________.
| A．benefit you economically and ecologically |
| B．benefit your health and the surroundings around |
| C．promote the development of economy and peace |
| D．make us live a better life in the near future |
What is the fourth paragraph mainly concerned with?
| A．How to take advantage of the rainwater. |
| B．How to fix the equipment under the ground. |
| C．How to reduce the cost of new equipment. |
| D．How to harvest rainwater effectively. |
It can be inferred from the passage that ________.
| A．it is not easy to make rainwater drinkable |
| B．the author calls on people to harvest rainwater |
| C．the stormwater cannot be made drinkable |
| D．people can treat the stormwater very easily |
Funloving Paul Johnson has scooped the title of the Scarborough Evening News Teacher of the Year 2008.Mr.Johnson，of Hinderwell School，was presented with the award after four of his pupils nominated him for the prestigious title.
Evening News editor Ed Asquith presented Mr.Johnson with his certificate and a cheque for ￡100 yesterday.His class is also set to enjoy a free trip to the Sea Life Centre which includes being picked up by a complimentary Shoreline Suncruisers opentop bus.
The 30yearold，who lives in Hunmanby，said，“I am just so shocked.I have been nominated for this award for a few years and I never thought I would win it.It is fantastic.It is completely out_of_the_blue.”
Mr.Johnson has worked as a Year 5 teacher at the school for seven years.He also works as an advanced skills teacher which involves visiting other schools in the country once a week to offer crosscurricular teaching.
He was chosen as the winner because of his dynamic but educationally engaging approach to teaching，and based on the real way he has demonstrated that every child matters.Each term he picks a theme for his class and the curriculum is based around it.This term，they are studying medieval times—and his classroom has a castle in one corner.He also treated his class to a threeday trip to London earlier this year.
His nominators were Lucy and Emily Desborough，Rachel Laverick and Rebecca Miller.Classmate Callum Macdonald,10，said，“He is the best teacher in the world and he deserves this.He is brilliant with us and he is just so funny.He tells lots of jokes which always make us laugh.”Beth Lawty,9，added，“Our classroom is the best ever.We have really enjoyed being in his class and I will miss him next year.”Paul Johnson's class will ________because of his winning the award.
| A．receive a cheque for ￡100 |
| B．be offered a free trip to the Sea Life Centre |
| C．have a threeday trip to London |
| D．take an opentop bus to London for free |
Why is there a castle in one corner of Paul Johnson's classroom?
| A．It is used to train the students' imagination. |
| B．It is a prize from the Scarborough Evening News. |
| C．The students can play in it after calss. |
| D．It is probably a symbol of medieval times. |
What do we know about Paul Johnson's approach to teaching from the passage?
| A．He has no fixed theme for teaching. |
| B．He teaches in a funny and flexible way. |
| C．He changes his teaching theme frequently. |
| D．He bases his curriculum on jokes. |
The underlined part“out of the blue”probably means “________”．
| A．of surprise | B．frustrating |
| C．of great fame | D．within easy reach |
What is the most popular food in western countries? If you are not sure, statistics might give you the answer.
Every year，some 20 million people walk into restaurants and buy 2 billion sandwiches. Americans alone eat more than 1 billion sandwiches annually. If you lined up all the sandwiches Westerners eat in a year, they would go around the world 13 times!
When John Montagu made the very first sandwich in England in 1762, he couldn't have imagined that it would still be very popular almost 250 years later. There is a campaign starting this month in the US to find the healthiest and best tasting sandwich in the country.
Sandwiches are commonly carried to school or work in lunch boxes or brown paper bags to be eaten for lunch. They are also taken on picnics and hiking trips. Their longlasting popularity lies in their convenience and fast preparation time.
You can put everything you want inside a sandwich. They are easy to clean up after, nutritious and come in hundreds of different kinds.
Wellknown American chef Dave Lieberman adds another reason.“I think people like to touch their food, kids especially. It's just a natural instinct. You don't have to use a knife and fork to eat a sandwich，” he said.
Sandwiches can be hot or cold with almost any kind of filling. One of the most popular kinds is the BLT—bacon，lettuce and tomato. Although it is a simple food, it can still be creative. Sandwiches can be served openfaced, with sushi inside or grilled with delicious fillings.The author intends to________.
| A．tell us the history of sandwichmaking |
| B．introduce a popular food in the West |
| C．show how sandwiches are made |
| D．explain why westerners like sandwiches |
What is the main reason for the popularity of sandwiches?
| A．They are healthy and delicious. |
| B．They have a history of about 250 years. |
| C．They are fast and convenient. |
| D．They can be served either hot and cold. |
Which of the following statements is TRUE according to the text?
| A．Sandwiches are usually eaten with a knife and fork. |
| B．Children don't like sandwiches so much as the adults. |
| C．Americans started a campaign against sandwiches. |
| D．People are trying to make sandwiches more nutritious. |
What does the last paragraph mainly tell us?
| A．There are many kinds of sandwiches. |
| B．The sandwich is a simple food. |
| C．The BLT is the most popular. |
| D．Sandwiches are mostly openfaced. |