The global population is living longer，and getting older，which presents new challenges. “The question becomes：who will take care of everyone? While people will always be the best caregivers for people，there just aren’t enough people. That’s where robotic technology can really make a difference,” says Professor Maja Mataric at the University of Southern California.
Her group is developing robots to work with stroke (中风) patients and elderly people. The research team has found that people react well to a robot gym instructor，and seem to get less frustrated with it than with instructions given on a computer screen. The robot can act as a perfect trainer，with infinite(极大的) patience.
“People say things like ‘I prefer this robot to my husband！Can I take it home?’” according to Professor Mataric. “In fact there’s a really important point here. As we create these care giving technologies，we’re helping not only the people that need the care，but also the people caring for them. We can give them a break，and help them avoid burnout.”
People are going to have to like，and importantly trust robots before they welcome them into their homes，and several groups around the world are working on making it easier to communicate with them.
Much of human communication takes place through body language. Gestures， eye contact , and concepts of personal space are all things that robots are being taught. In learning about how people interact(互动) with machines，researchers are also discovering new roles for robots in our lives. Robots can communicate with humans in ways that other technologies can not.
“If someone finds the robot to be more persuasive and more reliable，that’s going to affect how they interact with it,” says Dr Cynthia Breazeal, director of the Personal Robots Group at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. “We can now start to think about fields where it’s the social interaction，which is the main means by which a robot helps someone.” Dr Breazeal says that means robots could be used in education，learning，and health care，where social support is important.Professor Maja Mataric mainly focused on robots’ function of ________.
| A．teaching | B．exploring |
| C．making things | D．giving care |
Why can robots be wonderful trainers in the gym?
| A．Because they are more clever. |
| B．Because they give correct instructions. |
| C．Because they cost less money. |
| D．Because they are more patient. |
The underlined word “burnout” in Paragraph 3 probably means “________”．
| A．feeling tired | B．feeling angry |
| C．getting hurt | D．becoming disappointed |
The scientists are presently working hard to help robots .
| A．to use less electricity | B．to communicate better |
| C．to react more quickly | D．to have more functions |
第三部分 阅读理解（共20小题；每小题2分, 满分40分）
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。
A
While researchers have long shown that tall people earn more than their shorter counterparts, it's not only social discrimination that accounts for this inequality -- tall people are just smarter than their height-challenged peers, a new study finds.
"As early as age three -- before schooling has had a chance to play a role -- and throughout childhood, taller children perform significantly better on cognitive tests," wrote Anne Case and Christina Paxson of Princeton University in a paper published by the National Bureau of Economic Research.
The findings were based primarily on two British studies that followed children born in 1958 and 1970, respectively, through adulthood and a U.S. study on height and occupational choice.
Other studies have pointed to low self-esteem, better health that accompanies greater height, and social discrimination as culprits(罪犯) for lower pay for shorter people.
But researchers Case and Paxson believe the height advantage in the job world is more than just a question of image.
"As adults, taller individuals are more likely to select into higher paying occupations that require more advanced verbal and numerical skills and greater intelligence, for which they earn handsome returns," they wrote.
For both men and women in the United States and the United Kingdom, a height advantage of four inches equated with a 10 percent increase in wages on average.
But the researchers said the differences in performance crop up long before the tall people enter the job force. Prenatal care(产前护理) and the time between birth and the age of 3 are critical periods for determining future cognitive ability and height.
"Prenatal care and prenatal nutrition are just incredibly important, even more so than we already knew," Case said in an interview.
Since the study's data only included populations in the United Kingdom and the United States, the findings could not be applied to other regions, Case said.
And how tall are the researchers?
They are both about 5 feet 8 inches tall, well above the average height of 5 feet 4 inches for American women.
51. What can be learnt from the study of Anne Case and Christina Paxson is that ______.
A. the reason for lower pay for shorter people is social discrimination
B. taller children perform significantly better on cognitive test
C. tall people earn more than shorter counterparts
D. prenatal care and prenatal nutrition are less important than we already knew
52. Which period is the most important for determining future cognitive ability and height?
A. between age 3 and schoolingB. between birth and the age of 3
C. the whole childhoodD. between 1958 and 1970
53. The underlined phrase “crop up” in the Eighth Paragraph is closest in meaning to ______.
A. get inB. rise upC. come up D. stand up
54. The best title for this passage would be _______.
A. Tall people earn more than shorter counterparts
B. A study on height and occupational choice
C. The difference between tall people and short people
D. Taller people are smarter
D
Yesterday was our three-year anniversary. We didn’t do anything romantic: we just walked hand in hand and talked about our past and future. This was pretty much what I had expected.
Andy is unromantic guy: no sweet words or roses. Smart as he is, he is a little bit shy expressing his love. However, I am an outspoken girl who likes to show her feelings directly. So needless to say, I often feel that is insensitive. I envy other girls who are surrounded by sweet words from their boyfriends.
I was in this sullen mood until I heard a beautiful sentence one day: “If someone does not love you in the way you like, it does not mean that he does not love you.” This simple but sensible sentence made me think about our happy days and recall his deep concern for me.
One cold winter night, I got a high fever. He hurried to my dorm and took me to the hospital. He was in such a hurry that he even forgot to wear socks. Upon arrival, he ran through the hospital handling all the formalities(手续). When I was put on a drip（输液）, he told me interesting stories to make me happy. Being held in his warm arms and listening to his tender voice, I had never felt so safe and comfortable. Gradually, I felt asleep. When I woke up 15 minutes later, he was still whispering to me. He explained that if he had stopped talking I would have waken up. At that moment, I found love in his sparkling eyes.
Another time, I had a bad quarrel with my best friend. Although I knew it was my fault, I refused to admit it. I was angry when he insisted I apologize to her. He said that it was difficult to admit a mistake, but this was what everyone should do. The next morning, I apologized to my friend and asked for her forgiveness.
My unromantic boyfriend cares about my health like my father, understand me like my mother and helps me like my elder brother.
67. Why does the author envy other girls of her age?
A. Their boyfriends look more handsome. B. Their boyfriends express love directly.
C. They win a lot of praise from colleagues. D. They often receive roses.
68. The word “sullen” in Paragraph 3 can be best replaced by “ ”.
A. cheerful B. calm C. happy D. bad
69. The author mentioned her experience in hospital to show Andy .
A. loves her greatly B. is always careless C. is sometimes shy D. is good at telling stories
70. The writer writes the passage to tell us that .
A. Andy is very outspoken B. Andy is a perfect husband
C. Andy has his own way to express love D. Andy cares more about others
C
SuperCamp
The success of SuperCamp in the US has encouraged a worldwide demand for international summer camps and academic programs based on our Quantum Learning methods. The first SuperCamp was held in Moscow in 1990. A week after the Moscow in 1990, the camp was held in Singapore. Then came camps in Canada, Thailand, England, Malaysia, Mexico, and Switzerland. More recently, new programs have been held in Korea and Indonesia. To date, SuperCamp has been held in 16 countries and has hosted students from over 80 countries.
Supercamps lay the foundations for students to be more creative and achieve more than they ever thought possible through the mastery of academic and life skills. Using creative Quantum Learning methods, the program provides students with concrete study strategies while instilling (逐步培养) them with the confidence and motivation they need to succeed. SuperCamp is an action-packed learning experience of learning and growing, classes and outdoor challenges. At the end of each day, students feel a genuine sense of accomplishment.
Outlined below is an overview of planned international summer camps and academic programs for 2008:
● Singapore
June 2008, December 2008
For more information call 9863-0033 or go to:
www.supercamp.sg
● Malaysia
June 2008, December 2008
To visit the SuperCamp in Malaysia website go to:
www.supercamp.com.my
● Thailand
July 2008 (Junior Forum)
July 2008 (Senior Forum)
For more information please call 888-3740146.
● China
July 20-27 (Senior Forum)
August 10-17 (Senior Forum)
For more information on SuperCamp programs in China please contact: www.learnone99.com, or call: 886-3-3474760
● Switzerland
June/July 2008
Learn more by calling 800-285-3276 or click here.
63. We learn from the passage that SuperCamp________ .
A. was first started in Singapore B. has been held in 80 countries
C. has a history for at least 18 years D. has never been held in Europe
64. SuperCamp is aimed at_______.
A. students B. doctors C. businessmen D. teachers
65. SuperCamp does NOT intend to .
A. help students to become more creative
B. provide students with new learning methods
C. equip campers with academic and life skills
D. help students learn to work and play non-stop
66. Which number should a student in Switzerland interested in the camp dial for further information?
A. 886-3-3474760 B. 888-3740146 C. 9863-0033 D. 800-285-3276
B
Have you ever been to the beautiful country of Holland and its capital Amsterdam? Anyone who has traveled to Amsterdam would probably agree on one thing: Amsterdam’s story is a tale of two cities—one during the day and a completely different one at night.
During the day, the largest city in Holland sits quietly on the Amstel River. You can rent a bicycle, visit the Van Gogh or Anne Frank museum, or take a water taxi. But when the sun goes down, the partying begins. In the big clubs and in coffee shops, tourists gather to hang out, talk politics and smoke.
Several areas of the city clearly show the two worlds that rule Amsterdam. And they’re all within a short taxi ride of each other. For example, Dam Square attracts daytime sightseers to its festivals, open markets, concerts and other events. Several beautiful and very popular hotels can be found there. And there’s the Royal Palace and the Magna Plaza shopping mall.
But at night party-seekers come to the square. Hip hop or funk music is heard there. So if you come, be ready to dance. The clubs don’t close down until 4 am.
And while you’re there, check out the various inexpensive ways to tour the city. Don’t worry about getting lost. Although Dutch is the official language, most people in Amsterdam speak English and are happy to help you with directions. And you’ll notice that half the people in the streets are on bicycles they rent.
Amsterdam also has a well-planned canal system. For about 10 dollars, you can use the canal bus or a water taxi to cruise (巡游) the "Venice of the North".
The city has a historic past. One impressive place to visit is the Anne Frank House on Nine Streets. It was there that the young Jewish girl wrote her famous diary during World War II. Visitors can view Anne’s original diary and climb behind the bookcase to the room where she and her family hid from the Nazis for two years.
59. The following means of transport are available to visitors in Amsterdam EXCEPT __________.
A. a carriage. B. a bicycle. C. a canal bus. D. a water taxi.
60. When getting lost, a visitor can ask natives for directions in .
A. only Dutch B. Dutch or English C. only English D. Spanish and English
61. What can you learn about by visiting the Anne Frank House?
A. The happy experience of a girl survivor. B. The glorious past of Amsterdam.
C. The hard life of the Jewish in World WarⅡ. D. The hobbies of the Dutch.
62. The passage is intended to .
A. call up people’s memories of World WarⅡ
B. tell readers what A Tale of Two Cities is about
C. instruct visitors what to do and see in Holland
D. offer readers some information about Amsterdam
第三部分：阅读理解（共15小题；每题2分，满分30分）
请认真阅读下列短文, 从短文后各题所给的A、B、C、D四个选项中, 选出最佳选项, 并在答题纸上将该项涂黑。
A
Perhaps you have heard a lot about the Internet, but what is it, do you know? The Internet is a network. It uses the telephone to join millions of computers together around the world.
Maybe that doesn’t sound very interesting. But when you’ve gone into the Internet, there are lots and lots of things you can do. You can send E-mails to your friends, and they can get them in a few seconds. You can also do with all kinds of information on the World Wide Web (WWW).
There are many different kinds of computers now. They all can be joined to the Internet. Most of them are small machines sitting on people’s desks at home, but there are still many others in schools, offices or large companies. These computers are owned by people and companies, but no one really owns the Internet itself.
There are lots of places for you to go into the Internet. For example, your school may have the Internet. You can use it during lessons or free time. Libraries often have computers joined to the Internet. You are welcome to use it at any time.
Thanks to the Internet, the world is becoming smaller and smaller. It is possible for you to work at home with a computer in front, getting and sending the information you need. You can buy or sell whatever you want by the Internet. But do you know 98% of the information on the Internet is in English? So what will English be like tomorrow?
56. Which is the quickest and cheapest way to send messages to your friends?
A. By post. B. By E-mail. C. By telephone. D. By satellite.
57. According to the last paragraph, which may be the possible place for people to work tomorrow?
A. In the library. B. At school. C. At home. D. In the shop.
58. What does the writer try to tell us with the last two sentences?
A. English is important in using the Internet. B. The Internet is more and more popular.
C. Most of the information is in English. D. Every computer must have the Internet.