Thirteen vehicles lined up last March to race across the Mojave Desert, seeking a million in prize money. To win, they had to finish the 142mile race in less than 10 hours. Teams and watchers knew there might be no winner at all, because these vehicles were missing a key part — drivers.
DARPA, the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency, organized the race as part of a push to develop robotic vehicles for future battlefields. But the Grand Challenge, as it was called, just proved how difficult it is to get a car to speed across an unfamiliar desert without human guidance. One had its brake lock up in the starting area. Another began by throwing itself onto a wall. Another got tied up by bushes near the road after 1.9 miles.
One turned upside down. One took off in entirely the wrong direction and had to be disabled by remote control. One went a little more than a mile and rushed into a fence; another managed to go for six miles but stuck on a rock. The “winner”, if there was any, reached 7.8 miles before it ran into a long narrow hole, and the front wheels caught on fire.
“You get a lot of respect for natural abilities of the living things,” says Reinhold Behringe, who helped design two of the carsize vehicles for a company called SciAutonics.“Even ants can do all these tasks effortlessly. It's very hard for us to put these abilities into our machines.”
The robotic vehicles, though with necessary modern equipment such as advanced computers and GPS guidance, had trouble figuring out fast enough the blocks ahead that a twoyearold human recognizes immediately. Sure, that very young child, who has just only learned to walk, may not think to wipe apple juice off her face, but she already knows that when there's a cookie in the kitchen she has to climb up the table, and that when she gets to the cookie it will taste good. She is more advanced, even months old, than any machine humans have designed.
Watchers doubted if any of the vehicles could finish the race because ________.
| A.they did not have any human guidance |
| B.the road was not familiar to the drivers |
| C.the distance was too long for the vehicles |
| D.the prize money was unattractive to the drivers |
From the passage we know “robotic vehicles” are a kind of machines that________.
| A.can do effortlessly whatever tasks living things can |
| B.can take part in a race across 142miles with a time limit |
| C.can show off their ability to turn themselves upside down |
| D.can move from place to place without being driven by human beings |
In the last paragraph, the author implies that there is a long way to go ________.
| A.for a robotic vehicle to finish a 142mile race without any difficulties |
| B.for a little child who has just learned to walk to reach the cookie on the table |
| C.for a robotic vehicle to deal with a simple problem that a little child can solve |
| D.for a little child to understand the importance of wiping apple juice off his/her face |
阅读下列短文,从每题所给的四个选项(A、B、C和D)中,选出最佳选项,并在答题卡上将该项涂黑。
People all need friends because nobody wants to be lonely and a friend can help you in good and bad times. You’ve made friends since childhood,but you still don’t know who your true friends are. Here are some signs to tell you if your friend is a true friend.
Always honest
Honesty is important to keep a relationship alive. A true friend always tells you the truth. It may be hard sometimes but lying can destroy a friendship. It is important that your friend speaks honestly and never makes up stories.
There are always periods in your life when you have problems or difficulties. A true friend will always have time to listen to your problems and give you advice. It may not be able to offer a solution to your problems but the fact that your friend makes time to listen is a sign he/she cares for you. Your friend is not a true friend if he/she can never make time for you when you are in trouble. You also need to be reasonable and accept that your friend also has other things to do so he/she can’t always listen immediately to your problems.
Always respectful
A true friend will always respect your opinion no matter whether he/she agrees or not. Your true friend may disagree but never insists that he/she is correct.
Always understanding
It is possible that some problems will arise between you and your friend. A true friend will always be forgiving and understanding,even if it isn’t his/her fault. We are all different people and we all make mistakes. A true friend is always forgiving and understanding because he/she doesn’t want to take the risk of losing his/her best friend.What’s the best title for the third paragraph?
| A.Keep your secrets | B.Always there for you |
| C.Always happy for you | D.Remember your important days |
According to the passage,a true friend will always ____________.
| A.follow your advice |
| B.offer a solution to your problems |
| C.respect your opinion even if he/she disagrees with it |
| D.listen immediately to your problems |
Which of the following is NOT mentioned in the passage?
| A.Never tell lies to friends. |
| B.Making time for friends. |
| C.Paying attention to a friend’s opinion. |
| D.Sharing fun with friends. |
What’s the author’s purpose of writing this passage?
| A.To tell us how to find out if a friend is a true friend. |
| B.To find out how long a friendship can last. |
| C.To introduce his experience in making friends. |
| D.To teach us how to make true friends. |
Metro Pocket Guide Metrorail(地铁)
Each passenger needs a farecard to enter and go out.Up to two children under ago five may travel free with a paying customer.
Farecard machine are in every station, Bring small bills because there are no change machines in the station and farecard machine only provide up to $ 5 in change.
Get one of unlimited Metrorail rides with a One Day Pass.Buy it from a farecard machine in Metro stations.Use it after 9:30 a.m.until closing on weekdays, and all day on weekends and holidays.
Hours of Service
Open: 5 a.m Mon-Fri 7a.m.Sat—Sun .
Close: midnight Sun—Thurs 3 a.m.Fri.---Sat.nights.
Last train times vary.To avoid missing the last train, please check the last train times posted in the station.
Metrobus
When paying with exact change, the fare is $ 1.35 .when paying with a smarTrip card, the fare is $1.25
Fares for the Senior /disabled customers
Senior citizens 65 and older and disabled customers may ride for half the regular fare.On Metrorail and Metrobus, use a senior/disabled farecard or SmarTrip card.For more information about buying senior/disabled farecards, farecard or SmarTrip cards and passes, please visit MetroOpenDoors.com or call 202-637-7000 and 202-637-8000.
Senior citizens and disabled customers can get free guide on how to use proper Metrobus and Metrorail services by calling 202-962-1100
Travel tips (提示)
Avoid riding during weekday rush periods –before 9:30 a.m.and between 4 and 6 p.m.
If you lose something on a bus or train or in a station, please call Lost & Found at 202-962-1195.What should you know about farecard machine?
| A.They start selling tickets at 9:30 a.m. |
| B.They are connected to change machines. |
| C.They offer special service to the elderly. |
| D.They make change for no more than $5. |
At what time does Metrorail stop service on Saturday?
| A.At midnight |
| B.at 3 a.m. |
| C.at 5 am |
| D.at 7 p.m. |
What is good about a SmarTrip card?
| A.It is convenient for old people |
| B.It saves money for its users |
| C.it can be bought at any time |
| D.it is sold on the Internet. |
Which number should you call if you lose something on the Metro?
| A.202-962-1195 |
| B.202-962-1100 |
| C.202-673-7000 |
| D.202-673-8000 |
One of the latest trends(趋势) in American Childcare is Chinese au pairs.Au Pair in Stamford, Conn, for example, has got increasing numbers of request for Chinese au pairs from aero to around 4, 000 since 2004.And that’s true all across the country.
“I thought it would be useful for him to learn Chinese at an early age” Joseph Stocke, the managing director of a company, says of his 2-year old son.“I would at least like to give him the chance to use the language in the future, ” After only six months of being cared by 25-year-old woman from China, the boy can already understand basic Chinese daily expressions, his dad says.
Li Drake, a Chinese native raising two children in Minnesota with an American husband, had another reason for looking for an au pair from China.She didn’t want her children to miss out on their roots.” Because I am Chinese, my husband and I wanted the children to keep exposed to(接触) the language and culture.” she says.
“Staying with a native speaker is better for children than simply sitting in a classroom, ” says Suzanne Flynn, a professor in language education of Children.”But parents must understand that just one year with au pair is unlikely to produce wonders. Complete mastery demands continued learning until the age of 10 or 12.”
The popularity if au pairs from china has been strengthened by the increasing numbers of American parents who want their children who want their children to learn Chinese.It is expected that American demand for au pairs will continue to rise in the next few years.What does the term” au pair” in the text mean?
| A.A mother raising her children on her own |
| B.A child learning a foreign language at home |
| C.A professor in language education of children |
| D.A young foreign woman taking care of children. |
Li Drake has her children study Chinese because she wants them ______.
| A.to live in China some day |
| B.to speak the language at home |
| C.to catch up wit other children |
| D.to learn about the Chinese culture |
What can we infer from the text?
| A.Learning Chinese is becoming popular In America, |
| B.Educated woman do better in looking after children |
| C.Chinese au pairs need to improve their English Skills. |
| D.Children can learn a foreign language well in six months. |
Since the first Earth Day in 1970, Americans have gotten a lot “greener” toward the environment .“We didn’t know at that time that there even was an environment, let alone that there was a problem with it, ”says Bruce Anderson, president of Earth Day USA.
But what began as nothing important in public affairs has grown into a social movement .Business people, political leaders, university professors, and especially millions of grass-roots Americans are taking part in the movement.“The understanding has increased many, many times, ”says Gaylord Nelson, the former governor from Wisconsin, who thought up the first Earth Day.
According to US government reports , emissions (排放)from cars and trucks have dropped from 10.3 million tons a year to 5.5 tons .The number of cities producing CO beyond the standard has been reduced from 40 to 9 .Although serious problems still remain and need to be dealt with , the world is a safer and healthier place .A kind of “Green thinking ” has become part of practices .
Great improvement has been achieved .In 1988 there were only 600 recycling programs , ; today in 1995 there are about 6, 600 .Advanced lights , motors , and building designs have helped save a lot of energy and therefore prevented pollution .
Twenty –five years ago , there were hardly any education programs for environment .Today , it’s hard to find a public school , university , or law school that does not have such a kind of program .” Until we do that , nothing else will change! ” say Bruce Anderson .According to Anderson , before 1970, Americans had little idea about ___
| A.the social movement |
| B.recycling techniques |
| C.environmental problems |
| D.the importance of Earth Day |
Where does the support for environmental protection mainly come from?
| A.The grass –roots level |
| B.The business circle |
| C.Government officials |
| D.University professors |
What have Americans achieved in environmental protection ?
| A.hey have cut car emissions to the lowest |
| B.They have settled their environmental problems |
| C.They have lowered their CO levels in forty cities. |
| D.They have reduced pollution through effective measures . |
What is especially important for environmental protection according to the last paragraph ?
| A.Education |
| B.Planning |
| C.Green living |
| D.CO reduction |
阅读下列短文,从每题所给的四个选项 (A 、B 、C和 D )中,选出最佳选项。
Arriving in Sydney on his own from India, my husband , Rashid, stayed in a hotel for a short time while looking for a short time while looking for a house for me and our children.
During the first week of his stay, he went out one day to do some shopping.He came back in the late afternoon to discover that his suitcase was gone.He was extremely worried as the suitcase had all his important papers, including his passport.
He reported the case to the police and then sat there,lost and lonely in strange city, thinking of the terrible troubles of getting all the paperwork organized again from a distant country while trying to settle down in a new one.
Late in the evening, the phone rang.It was a stranger.He was trying to pronounce my husband’s name and was asking him a lot of questions.Then he said they had found a pile of papers in their trash can(垃圾桶)that had been left out on the footpath.
My husband rushed to their home to find a kind family holding all his papers and documents.Their young daughter had gone to the trash can and found a pile of unfamiliar papers.Her parents had carefully sorted them out, although they had found mainly foreign addresses on most of the documents.At last they had seen a half-written letter in the pile in which my husband had given his new telephone number to a friend.
That family not only restored the important documents to us that day but also restored our faith and trust in people.We still remember their kindness and often send a warm wish their way.What did Rashid plan to do after his arrival in Sydney?
| A.Go shopping |
| B.Find a house |
| C.Join his family |
| D.Take a vacation |
The girl’s parents got Rashid’s phone number from_______.
| A.a friend of his family |
| B.a Sydney policeman |
| C.a letter in his papers |
| D.a stranger in Sydney |
What does the underlined word “restored” in the last paragraph mean?
| A.Showed |
| B.Sent out |
| C.Delivered |
| D.Gave back |
Which of the following can be the best title for the text?
| A.From India to Australia. |
| B.Living in a a New Country. |
| C.Turning Trash to Treasure |
| D.In Search of New Friends. |