Researchers are placing robotic dogs in the homes of lonely old people to determine whether they can improve the quality of life for humans. Alan Beck, an expert in human-animal relationship, and Nancy Edwards, a professor of nursing, are leading the animal-assisted study concerning the influence of robotic dogs on old people's depression, physical activity, and life satisfaction. “No one will argue that an older person is better off being more active, challenged, or stimulated, Edwards points out. "The problem is how we promote that, especially for those without friends or help. A robotic dog could be a solution. ”
In the study, the robot, called AIBO, is placed for six weeks in the houses of some old people who live alone. Before placing AIBO in the home, re-searchers will collect baseline data for six weeks. These old people will keep a diary to note their feelings and activity before and after AIBO. Then, the researchers will review the data to determine if it has inspired any changes in the life of its owner.
“I talk to him all the time, and he responds to my voice，” says a seventy-year-old lady, “When I'm watching TV, he'll stay in my arms until he wants down. He has a mind of his own. ”
The AIBOs respond to certain orders. The researchers say they have some advantages over live dogs, especially for old people. Often the elderly are disabled and cannot care for an animal by walking it or playing with it. A robotic dog removes exercise and feeding concerns.
"At the beginning, it was believed that no one would relate to the robotic dog, because it was metal and not furry，" Beck says. "But it's amazing how quickly we have given up that belief. "
"Hopefully, down the road, these robotic pets could become a more-valuable health helper. They will record their masters' blood pressure, oxygen levels, or heart rhythms. AIBOs may even one day have games that can help stimulate older people's minds. " The purpose of Beck and Edwards' study is to __________.
| A．understand human-animal relationship |
| B．make lonely old peoples life better |
| C．find the causes of old people's loneliness |
| D．promote the animal-assisted research |
In the research, the old people are asked to __________
| A．note the activities of AIBOs |
| B．keep AIBOs at home for 12 weeks |
| C．record their feelings and activity |
| D．analyze the collected information |
What is the advantage of AIBO over live dogs?
| A．It is easier to keep at home. |
| B．It can help the disabled people. |
| C．It responds to all the human orders. |
| D．It can watch TV with its owner. |
The author seems to suggest that the future robotic dogs may __________.
| A．cure certain diseases |
| B．keep old people active |
| C．change people's beliefs |
| D．look more like real dogs |
For five days, Edmonton's Downtown Park is transformed into one huge stage where artists are able to share their talents, and where people are able to celebrate and enjoy themselves .Since its beginning in 1980, the Edmonton Folk Music Festival has been commemorating(纪念）the true feeling of what folk music is all about and that's the traditional togetherness(友爱）that is felt when people gather to share stories and feelings through song.
This year will be the sixth year when volunteer Riedel will be offering up her time to the festival. "People coming off a busy spring and summer have a moment of relaxation ," Riedel said. "It's really easy to relax, and it's great seeing family and friends have fun together." These families and friends come from all different kinds of musical tastes. People who take pleasure in Blues are there, so are people who love Bluegrass. This festival does its best to develop everyone's musical interests.
With so many years of experience, the festival has become a well-oiled machine, and does whatever it can to make attendees feel as comfortable as possible. There are free water stations throughout the venue(举办地）for people to fill up their travel cups. When people buy food, reusable dishes are given a $2 plate fee, but that is returned when the plate is brought back.
The festival has completely sold out of tickets, and in record time. But with big names such as Van Morrison and Jakob Dylan, it’s easy to see how that was going to happen. There is no parking area during the festival, so using the Park & Ride system or Edmonton Transit is highly recommended. A bike lock-up area is provided and will be available Thursday until Sunday one hour before the gates open until 45 minutes after the gates close.
The Edmonton Folk Music Festival begins on Wednesday, Aug.4 with Van Morrison playing the special donation fund （基金）concert, and will finish up on Sunday, Aug.8.The Edmonton Folk Music Festival is held mainly to ___________.
| A．remind people of the real sense of folk music |
| B．gather people with different musical tastes |
| C．exhibitive good voices of great talents in folk music |
| D．collect old stories of folk music |
Which of the following is TRUE according to the passage?
| A．It's hard for people to appreciate Blues. |
| B．Riedel has volunteered for the festival for at least 5years. |
| C．It costs people a little to fill up their cups from water stations. |
| D．People have to pay $2 for a plate of food. |
We can learn from the passenger that____.
| A．people can get tickets easily for the festival |
| B．driving one's own car to the festival is highly recommended |
| C．the Edmonton Folk Music Festival is highly recommended. |
| D．bikes are available at the festival from Wednesday to Sunday |
What would the best title for the passenger?
| A．Folk Music of Blues | B．One Festival Family Gathering |
| C．Festival for family Gathering | D．Edmonton’s Downtown Park |
Jacqueline Bouvier Kennedy Onassis was one of the most private women in the world, yet when she went to work as an editor in the last two decades of her life, she revealed (展现) herself as she did nowhere else.
After the death of her second husband, Greek shipping magnate (巨头) Aristotle Onassis, Jacqueline's close friend and former White House social secretary Letitia Baldrige made a suggestion that she consider a career in publishing . After consideration,Jacqueline accepted it. Perhaps she hoped to find there some ideas about how to live her own life .She became not less but more interested in reading. For the last 20 years of her life, Jacqueline worked as a publisher's editor, first at Viking，then at Doubleday, pursuing a late-life career longer than her two marriages combined. During her time in publishing, she was responsible for managing and editing more than 100 successfully marketed books. Among the first books were In the Russian Style and Inventive Paris Clothes. She also succeeded in persuading TV hosts Bill Moyers and Joseph Campbell to transform their popular television conversation into a book, The Power of Myth. The book went on to become an international best-seller. She dealt too, with Michael Jackson as he prepared his autobiography(自传), Moonwalk.
Jacqueline may have been hired for her name and for her social relations, but she soon proved her worth. Her choices, suggestions and widespread social relations were of benefit both to the publishing firms and to Jacqueline herself. In the books she selected for publication, she built on a lifetime of spending time by herself as a reader and left a record of the growth of her mind. Her books are the autobiography she never wrote. Her role as First Lady, in the end, was overshadowed by her performance as an editor. However, few knew that she had achieved so much.We can learn from the passage that Jacqueline________.
| A．became fond of reading after working as an editor |
| B．gained a lot from her career as an editor |
| C．promoted（促进） her books through social relations |
| D．was in charge of publishing 100 books |
The underlined sentence in the last paragraph probably means that________.
| A．Jacqueline's ended up as an editor rather than as First Lady |
| B．Jacqueline's life as First Lady was more colorful than as an editor |
| C．Jacqueline's role as First Lady was more brilliant than as an editor |
| D．Jacqueline was more successful as an editor than as First Lady |
What can be inferred from the passage?
| A．Jacqueline's two marriages lasted more than 20 years |
| B．Jacqueline's own publishing firm was set up eventually |
| C．Jacqueline's achievements were widely known |
| D．Jacqueline's views and beliefs were reflected（反映） in the books she edited |
The passage is mainly________.
| A．a brief account（叙述） of Jacqueline's career as an editor in her last 20 years |
| B．a brief description of Jacqueline's lifelong experiences |
| C．an introduction of Jacqueline's life both as First Lady and as editor |
| D．an analysis of Jacqueline's social relations in publishing |
For many years there's been a debate about rewarding our children. Does it work? Is it effective?
Some people think we should establish a standard with our kids and give them something for meeting this standard as a reward. Punishment is given out in much the same way, but it’s used when certain standards of performance, behavior, etc. have not been met. Kids will often become more dutiful when threatened with punishment, and work harder when promised a valuable reward. The problem is what happens when you aren’t around.
To develop responsible, self-disciplined kids, parents need to promote certain ideas. One of these ideas is that everyone pitches in and helps in your family. Another idea is that there can be enjoyment in doing any task if we choose to make it so. When a task is for a worthy cause (our family can enjoy the house more because I helped clean it), this message can have a big impact.
This is how we help our kids develop a sense of responsibility. When our children develop this responsibility, they’ll be more disciplined, and they’ll control their emotions better. When we give rewards to our kids, we reduce the sense of responsibility. We also create children who may temporarily perform to a certain standard, but who aren’t likely to continue the performance without the carrot hanging in front of them.
“Rewards and punishment can change behavior for a while, but they cannot change the person who engages in the behavior,” said Alfie Kohn, author of Punished by Rewards. “Good values have to be grown from the inside out.” Parents can help give their children a sense of shared responsibility and discipline which can last a life time. The real rewards that your children receive will be their readiness for the complex and demanding world that waits for them—a world that rewards those who have learned the secrets of discipline responsibility. So keep those shiny rewarding to yourself, and let your kids find their own rewards. According to the passage, when children are threatened with punishment, ______.
| A．they may lose interest in their work |
| B．the results will be worse than usual |
| C．they may change to another person |
| D．they may appear to be well-behaved |
The underlined part “the carrot” in Paragraph 4 probably refers to _____.
| A．apologies | B．aims | C．rewards | D．doubts |
According to the passage, Alfie Kohn would agree that parents should ______.
| A．never pay attention to the way their children do things |
| B．show their children how to behave by example |
| C．help their children establish good values |
| D．never punish their children |
What’s the best title for the passage?
| A．Should parents reward their children? |
| B．Do you often reward your children? |
| C．When should parents reward their children? |
| D．What can parents reward their children with? |
Apollo
For lovers of the arts, Apollo is a truly good magazine. Covering the ages and the great civilizations(文明） of the world, Apollo brings you well-pictured yet fine articles by internationally famous writers, as well as information on exhibitions(展览） and sales. Experience five monthly issues（报刊的期） for as little as £ 5 each.
The Guardian Weekly（每周卫报）
The Guardian Weekly gives you a world view with articles（文章） from four of the world’s most respected newspapers. Read the news from different views and draw your own conclusions(得出结论） on the stories shaping our world. Try it for 3 months for just £ 15.55. Plus(外加） get a free copy of The Guardian Year 2003.
New Internationalist（国际主义者）
Full of excellent writing and photos, the magazine covers one key topic each month, from Terrorism(恐怖主义） to Poverty（贫困） to Climate Change. Reporters from around the world provide you with a whole world view.
Plus: Many fresh reports and stories to keep you up-to-date on world affairs(事务. 3 months free and free World Map.
The Week
The Week is the only weekly summary（摘要）giving you the best of the British and foreign newspapers in just 35 pages. Designed to be read in just 1 hour, it provides you with everything you need and want to know. Try The Week now with 13 issues for just £ 13. 75. If you decide it’s not for you, just tell us within the first 6 weeks and you can get your money back.Which of the following magazines will probably give you with articles about music and paintings?
| A．Apollo. | B．The Week. |
| C．New Internationalist. | D．The Guardian Weekly. |
It is possible that most of the readers of the four magazines are ______.
| A．men | B．women |
| C．children | D．grown-ups |
The underlined word up-to-date in the third text means .
| A．know the latest information or changes |
| B．newest |
| C．at present |
| D．out of fashion. |
Which of the following would you most probably read if you want to get information from the world’s most popular newspapers?
| A．Apollo & The Week. |
| B．Apollo & New Internationalist. |
| C．The Guardian Weekly & The Week. |
| D．The Guardian Weekly & New Internationalist. |
The purpose（目的）of the four texts is to ______.
| A．tell the readers the latest news |
| B．get more readers to subscribe (订阅) |
| C．show the importance of the four magazines |
| D．introduce(介绍） the four magazines to new readers |
In America, after middle school comes high school, which includes grades 9 through 12. Students are required to take compulsory subjects like English, social studies, math, science, and physical education. In addition, they choose among elective subjects （选修科目）to complete their high school education. Electives include subjects in technology, music, art, and foreign languages.
Each student in the school has their own locker（储物柜）for books and personal items. This convenience saves students from carrying textbooks, and allows students a small space they can decorate with（以……装饰）posters and favorite objects.
Cheating in any form is strictly prohibited（禁止）in American schools. And in fact, high school students usually don't cheat. If they are caught cheating, they will have to face severe punishment.
Each school holds certain yearly activities for all school students, such as homecoming（返校节）, prom night（学年舞会）, holiday celebrations, etc.
Most high schools have at least one sports team that competes in local games, and all students are encouraged to take part in athletics. Schools often offer football, baseball and softball, basketball, volleyball, tennis, and soccer. Some may even have sports like golf, swimming, gymnastics and cross-country skiing.
Many high school students have part-time jobs by the age of 15 or 16, some even earlier. Their first jobs are often babysitting or cutting lawns（草坪）, but later they will likely get a job at a fast-food restaurant, video store, or clothing shop.
Sixteen years old is legal（法定）driving age in most states, and students usually want to own a car as soon as they can. Some parents allow their children to drive a family car, and may even buy a car as a graduation present. Others prefer that their sons and daughters earn enough to buy a used car. Many teenagers feel it's necessary to own a car, and will do whatever it takes to be able to drive.Which is the best title of this passage?
| A．How American Students Study. |
| B．American High School Life |
| C．The Life of American Students. |
| D．Introduction to American School. |
Which statement is right according to the passage?
| A．Cheating is strictly banned（禁止. only in American high schools. |
| B．Teenagers in America can be allowed to drive after sixteen years old. |
| C．Schools encourage all students to take part in sports. |
| D．English, social studies, math, science, and physical education are elective subjects. |
The underlined word compulsory in the second line stands for .
| A．voluntary |
| B．difficult |
| C．optional |
| D．necessary |
From the short passage we can infer that .
| A．All high school hold some activities for students every year, like homecoming. |
| B．American parents usually buy cars as graduation presents for their children. |
| C．If the American boys and girls can earn enough money they can buy a used car to drive. |
| D．High school students must have part-time jobs by the age of 15 or 16. |
The second paragraph suggests
| A．A locker can give students a small space to save money. |
| B．Students can share their lockers. |
| C．Students can put their posters and favorite objects in the lockers. |
| D．School provides students lockers to keep their books and personal things. |