Predictions of many robots in industry have yet come true. For ten years or more, manufacturers of big robots have explained how their machines can make industry more competitive and productive. The maker for robots is oversupplied now, and the driving force of the robotics revolution is to be with the maker of machines that handle a few kilos at most.
"Heavy-robot manufacturers are in some difficulty finding customers. They are offering big just to get in the door. There has been a growth everywhere in the numbers of robots, so we admit we are either deceiving or that the market is slowly growing，" said John Reekie, chairman of Colen Robotics. "The following things must hap-pen the robotics revolution to occur. We must achieve widespread robot literacy. there has been a computer program, there must be a robot literacy program. ，some kind of artificial intelligence needs to be ”
Colen makes educational robots and machine tools. It is small with companies like ASEA or Fujitsu Fanuc. But Colen with others in departments in universities such as Surrey, Manchester, and Dur-ham possesses an advantage the giants. The big companies sell very expensive to businesses with expert knowledge in automation. The companies make robots for teaching people, and now they have realized that there is a need for small， robots that they can meet.
The little companies either bring their educational machines an industrial standard or design from the start. One technique that they all adopt is to choose （18）components where possible. The major cost of making their models is the electronics, which will fall in price. There is scope for reductions in mechanical costs. The use of standard parts，which are easily replaced, should give these robots a mechanical life of something in the order of five years.
A．small B．educational C．big D．business
A．claimed B．called C．thought D．told
A．to B．with C．over D．in
A．money B．discounts C．prices D．costs
A．exciting B．encouraging C．satisfying D．disappointing
A．ourselves B．customers C．companies D．us
A．to B．for C．in D．with
A．As if B．Even though C．Just as D．Although
A．custom B．literacy C．poem D．tradition
A．However B．Finally C．Whereas D．Because
A．capable B．possible C．probable D．available
A．compared B．comparing C．contrasted D．contrasting
A．than B．above C．over D．from
A．took B．robots C．machines D．electronics
A．other B．big C．little D．robot
A．expensive B．artificial C．educational D．low-cost
A．up to B．on C．in D．about
A．mechanical B．standard C．cheap D．small
A．much B．many C．both D．some
A．more B．less C．no D．least
Many years ago, I owned a service station and roadhouse on the main road between Melbourne and Adelaide．
One very cold, wet night at about 3 : 30 a．m, there was a 36 at the front door of our house．A young man, 37 from head' to toe, explained that he had 38 out of petrol about 30 km up the road．He had left his pregnant （怀孕的） wife and his two children 39 at the car and said that he would hitchhike （搭便车） back．
As soon as I 40 a can with petrol, I took him back to his car, where his two-year-old and four-year-old children were both 41 .They were wet and cold．I suggested that they 42 me back．
Before leaving, I had turned the heater 43 in the roadhouse, so when we went in, it was nice and 44 ．While the little ones played and ran 45 ,1 prepared bread and butter for the children, 46 hot chocolate for the adults．
It was about five a．m．before they 47 ．The young fellow asked me how much he should pay me and I told him that the petrol 48 had shown $ 15．He 49 offered to pay call-out fee, but I wouldn’t accept it．
About a month later,! received a 50 from Interstate, a large bus company that we had been trying to 51 to stop off at our roadhouse for a long time．It 52 out that the young fellow I had helped was its general manager, the most 53 person in the company．
In his letter, he thanked me again and 54 me that, from then on, all their buses would stop at my service station．In this 55 , a little bit of kindness was rewarded with a huge amount of benefit．
A．kick B．strike C．beat D．knock
A．cool B．hot C．wet D．warm
A．driven B．used C．come D．run
A．away B．behind C．off D．out
A．supplied B．poured C．equipped D．filled
A．sleeping B．crying C．quarrelling D．fighting
A．get B．ring C．lead D．follow
A．on B．off C．in D．over
A．clean B．dry C．warm D．tidy
A．around B．away C．out D．up
A．or B．but C．so D．and
A．left B．arrived C．ate D．stayed
A．tank B．can C．pump D．pipe
A．suddenly B．hurriedly C．worriedly D．thankfully
A．call B．letter C．check D．notice
A．get B．force C．require D．make
A．pointed B．turned C．worked D．found
A．generous B．successful C．serious D．powerful
A．praised B．persuaded C．informed D．warned
The job of raising children is a tough one. Children don’t come with an instruction manual(说明书). And each child is 36 . So parents sometimes pull their hair out in frustration(挫折), not 37
what to do. But in raising children—as in all of life—what we do is 38 by our culture. Naturally then, American parents teach their children basic American 39 . To Americans, the goal of parents is to help children40 on their own two feet. From 41 each child may get his or her own room. As children grow, they get more 42 to make their own choices. 43 choose their own forms of entertainment, as well as the friends to 44 them with. When they 45 young adulthood, they choose their own jobs and marriage 46 . Of course, many young adults still 47
their parents’ advice and approval for the choices they make. But once they “leave the 48 ” at around 18 to 21 years old, they want to be on their own , not 49 to their mother’s apron strings (围裙带). The relationship between parents and children in America is very informal. American parents try to 50 their children as individuals—not as extensions of themselves. They allow them to achieve their own51 . Americans praise and encourage their children to give them the 52
to succeed. When children become adults, their relationship with their parents becomes more like a (an) 53 among equals. But 54 to popular belief, most adult Americans don’t make their parents pay for room and board when they come to 55 . Even as adult, they respect and honor their parents.
A．strange B．different C．new D．unlike
A．noticing B．remember C．knowing D．deciding
A．influenced B．made C．controlled D．changed
A．services B．standards C．rules D．values
A．sit B．get C．stand D．rise
A．adulthood B．girlhood C．boyhood D．childhood
A．freedom B．space C．time D．money
A．Adults B．Teenagers C．Americans D．Parents
A．help B．join C．share D．provide
A．gain B．pass C．become D．reach
A．wives B．partners C．husbands D．couples
A．seek B．invite C．try D．choose
A．room B．house C．nest D．place
A．connected B．held C．stuck D．tied
A．serve B．treat C．describe D．recognize
A．jobs B．plans C．dreams D．hopes
A．dependence B．trust C．belief D．confidence
A．friendship B．companion C．membership D．association
A．known B．similar C．contrary D．due
A．travel B．visit C．see D．live
In every country there are times to celebrate, weddings, birthdays, religious festivals. Although the U.S.A is a multi-cultural society, where different groups celebrate their own traditional 21 , Christmas is the most popular holiday in the U.S.A. Some of the 22 of Christmas time are old and others are newer.
Already in the late 18th and the 19th centuries, people felt sentimental (眷恋的) about Christmases of the past. The American 23 , Washington Irving, wrote in 1819 about the old-fashioned Christmas he experienced in England. He was taken in a stagecoach (驿站马车) full of happy people, food and presents, to an old house in the 24 . There, he found a crowd of happy farmers, lots of food and drinks, snow, games and ghosts.
The first Christmas card, which was printed in England, showed people eating and drinking 25 . It was sent in 1846, but Christmas cards did not become really 26 until the 1860s, when color printing became possible.
By this time, stagecoaches had 27 running, replaced by the railroad. More and more families 28 the country and were living in towns and cities, but the dream of the 29 Christmas remained. The loaded stagecoach driving along the country road through the snow still 30 on many Christmas cards today.
A．left B．preferred C．admired D．reached
A．amazing B．new C．merry D．old-fashioned
A．turns B．appears C．puts D．gets
“We’ve been good friends for so many years. And I don’t think you meant to do that ...” I said to myself， looking at Jack， my friend who was running across the 36 field.
How I wish I could join them！ But it was impossible because of the pain in my left foot， caused by Jack.
I first met Jack in a football match in the elementary school. When my team looked as if we were 37 ， Jack， who was watching， volunteered to join us. He was so confident and skilled that we won. From then on， Jack and I often played together and became best friends.
But something happened before an important football match between Class Six and my class. My class had so many good players that we had to 38 the best ones. Jack and I were in the same team. The match was close in the first half. I saw my chance and was ready to score a goal. Suddenly， Jack 39 me. He slid to stop the ball， but collided with my left foot. I knew I had lost the chance to score and was 40 the field. But what really hurt me was that Jack didn’t say sorry. And when some of my teammates said he did it on purpose to 41 me from scoring， I felt even 42 .
Now I stand here， with tears in my eyes. I don’t want to 43 those words but I don’t know how to persuade myself they are 44 . Then everything changes when Jack scores and wins！ How excited I am！
While I am still 45 in excitement， someone pats my shoulder. It is Jack， with a smile on his face. “I’m sorry that you can not join in because of my 46 . But you see， Jason， we beat them！ No matter whether you joined in or not， you’ve made a contribution. Come on， let’s celebrate！” Suddenly， I am 47 by the players. The sunshine is so bright that I close my eyes. Riding high above my teammates， I feel so happy. And I know the friendship between Jack and me will last forever.
A．basketball B．volleyball C．badminton D．football
A．lost B．winning C．leading D．beaten
A．replace B．award C．decide on D．call in
A．ran into B．ran to C．ran across D．ran away
A．sent away B．carried off C．stuck to D．hold on
A．break B．interrupt C．make D．keep
A．amused B．comfortable C．depressed D．scared
A．believe B．say C．deny D．hear
A．right B．false C．true D．bad
A．lost B．fallen C．caught D．drawn
A．score B．pride C．reason D．carelessness
A．raised up B．pulled away C．picked up D．pushed off
About once a month I have to go to Bedford for my work. One day I went into a 21 there to have something to 22 . The waiter took my coat and put it in a small room.
About an hour later I was 23 to go. The waiter 24 me my coat. Something fell out of the pocket onto the floor. It was a small white box. I took a 25 look at the 26 . “Oh, you’ve brought 27 coat,” I said to the waiter. “It looks very much like mine, 28 it is quite new, and this isn’t my box, either.”
“Oh, then I 29 someone has taken your coat and left his,” said the waiter. “This kind of thing 30 sometimes.”
I opened the box. There was a beautiful gold 31 in it. The waiter and I 32 to go to the police station.
“Has anyone lost a ring?” I asked at the station.
“Yes,” said a policeman. “A young man who came in this morning lost a ring, he lost it in London.”
He 33 the young man. A few minutes later, the man arrived.
“Yes, this is my ring,” he said. “How can I 34 you, sir? You see, I paid a lot of money for this ring and 35 I lost it on the train!”
After I told him the 36 of the coat, he said, “You haven’t been on the train. I haven’t been in the hotel, so how did my ring 37 in the coat?”
“Did anyone sit or stand next to you on the train?” asked the policeman.
“Yes,” said the young man. “But I don’t remember his face.”
“You may remember this 38 ,” said the policeman. “Was it like this one?”
“Yes, it was,” said the young man. “But my friend here isn’t the thief.”
The policeman laughed. “No,” he said. “The thief on the train stole your ring, and 39 our friend here, he went into the hotel to get some food. Only he didn’t take the 40 coat away with him.”
A．hotel B．restaurant C．company D．shop
A．do B．buy C．eat D．make
A．asked B．glad C．invited D．ready
A．showed B．returned C．brought D．dressed
A．special B．close C．usual D．near
A．waiter B．box C．coat D．pocket
A．no one else’s B．another’s C．other’s D．someone else’s
A．but B．and C．instead D．for
A．know B．wonder C．suppose D．find
A．appears B．happens C．meets D．changes
A．ring B．coin C．pen D．sign
A．realized B．thought C．wanted D．decided
A．searched B．remembered C．telephoned D．asked
A．return B．thank C．pay D．help
A．then B．so C．yet D．however
A．thing B．price C．story D．problem
A．come B．put C．set D．get
A．person B．ring C．box D．coat
A．after B．before C．like D．as
A．right B．good C．same D．other