Here’s a simple challenge: name a famous inventor. Perhaps Leonardo da Vinci springs to mind. Or the pioneer of the telephone, Alexander Graham Bell. But you might be hard-pressed to name many female inventors, even though women are behind some of the most widely used technologies in the modern world.
For example, where would we be without the windscreen wiper? Back on a freezing winter’s day in 1902, Mary Anderson was traveling by tram through New York city. Snow was falling, forcing the driver to stop repeatedly and get out to clear it. Each time the door opened, Mary suffered. She had a brainwave: why not make something that could be operated from inside the vehicle? And that’s exactly what she did.
Let’s step in from freezing New York for our next invention. The dishwasher dates back even earlier to the 19th Century, and to the dinner parties thrown by a lady called Josephine Cochrane. As a frequent host, she wanted a machine that could wash dishes faster than people. Her response was to develop what was to become the first commercially successful dishwasher.
Need something to do while the dishwasher is on? How about a round of Monopoly（强手棋游戏）? One of the most popular board games around, the rules were first drawn up by a lady called Elizabeth Magie, and patented in 1904.
To an altogether different kind of innovation: Kevlar is the lightweight fibre used in bulletproof（防弹）vests. The material is used by millions every day and has saved countless lives and is strength-lo-weight ratio is five times higher than steel.
Finally, one of the most important inventions of the 20th Century must surely be the computer programme. The world of programming is unbalanced among men and women, with men taking home around 30% more pay than their female partners on average. But back in the 1940s and 50s, women were at the forefront of this new field and Grace Hopper was one of them.
1.What do we know about the inventions mentioned in the text?
A. They were mostly made in the 20th century.
B. They all used high technology.
C. Their inventors came from families of good education.
D. They were all made by accident.
2.Why did Mary Anderson invent windscreen wiper?
A. The winter was extremely cold there.
B. She was forced to clear the snow by others.
C. The car she drove made her suffer a great deal.
D. She was sick of the driver getting out to clear the window.
3.Which of the following statements is WRONG according to the text?
A. Josephine Cochrane wanted a machine that operated automatically.
B. The game invented by Magie was popular merely among teenagers.
C. Kevlar is the super tough fibre and stronger than steel.
D. Grace Hopper was good at computer programming.
4.What is the best title of this passage?
A. Women can be Great Inventors
B. The Most Useful Inventions by Women
C. The Most Widely Used Technologies
D. Women Made Greater Contributions than Men
难度: 简单查看答案及解析
Driverless cars are the best-known example of how artificial intelligence is influencing daily life in China, according to a new report on social attitudes toward AI technology that was released at Fudan University on May 17.
Based on the responses of 625 questionnaires made by Fudan University’s National Center for Cultural Innovation Research and the communication and data science laboratory, the report states that nearly 90 percent of the respondents are familiar with driverless cars, with over 67, percent having access to both positive and negative information on cars. About 62 percent of the respondents said they were willing to ride in driverless cars. Meanwhile, around 47 percent were supportive of unmanned vehicle road tests in the country. However, more than 30 percent of the respondents expressed their concerns about the safety of driverless cars.
If personal injuries or property loss are suffered in the event of an accident, 80.5 percent of the respondents said that the designers of the AI products should bear legal responsibility while 55.5 percent said that vehicle users should also shoulder the blame.
Smart cars with partial or fully autonomous functions are expected to account for 50 percent of new vehicles sold in China by 2020.According to the blueprint released by the National Development and Reform Commission in January, the country is aiming to become a global power in smart-car development and production by 2035.
“One cannot ignore the risks and ethics issues brought up by artificial intelligence technology,” said Sun Shaojing, director of the Communication and Data Science Laboratory of the National Center for Cultural Innovation Research at Fudan University, “Policies should be strengthened to ensure a balanced development of ethics and science, especially for some fast-growing applications like driverless cars.”
1.What do we know about the responses of 625 questionnaires?
A. More than half of the people surveyed were willing to ride in driverless cars.
B. Nearly 90% knew both positive and negative information on cars.
C. Unmanned vehicle road tests were hardly supported in the country.
D. Few people were concerned about the safety of driverless cars.
2.Who should take responsibility if an accident happened to a driverless car?
A. The designers of the AI products.
B. Both AI products designers and vehicle users.
C. Policy makers who regulate the use of driverless cars.
D. It hasn’t been decided yet.
3.What does the underlined word “autonomous” in Paragraph 4 probably mean?
A. high-tech B. advanced
C. self-directed D. useful
4.What do Sun Shaojing’s words suggest in the last paragraph?
A. We should mainly focus on the benefit that driverless cars bring to us.
B. Effective policies and rules are needed with appliances fast growing.
C. Risks and ethics issues brought up by AI cannot be avoided.
D. Driverless cars play a significant role in AI technology.
难度: 中等查看答案及解析
Big Messaging Apps Abroad
While WeChat is China's biggest mobile messaging app, there are many similar apps in other countries that offer similar features.
WhatsApp (US)
Users: more than 300 million
Platforms: Android, iOS, Windows Phone, BlackBerry
Features: Text chat, push-to-talk, file sharing, location sharing
With more than 300 million active users, WhatsApp is one of WeChat's biggest competitors.
Developed by two ex-Yahoo employees in 2009, WhatsApp originally focused on text chat, but on Aug. 6 it also started push - to - talk service. It's noted for its accessibility, ease of use and the absence of advertisements. The service is free for the first year, after which $ 0.99 (6. 06 yuan) is charged for a one –year subscription.
Kakao Talk (South Korea)
Users: more than 100 million
Platform: Android, iOS, windows Phone, BlackBerry and Bada (an operate system developed by Samsung)
Features: Text chat, group chat, push–to–talk, group calls, file sharing
With more than 100 million users in more than 230 countries, Kakao Talk is a multi - platform (多平台) texting application that allows users to send and receive messages for tree. With Kakao Talk, users can message each other one-on-one or in group chats with unlimited numbers of friends. You can also choose from more than 250 animated emoticons and share them with friends.
Line (Japan)
Users: more than 200 million
Platforms: Android, iOS, Windows Phone, BlackBerry and PC
Features: Text chat, group chat, push–to–talk, file sharing, location sharing, gaming, stickers
Line tops the list of the most downloaded free apps in 52 countries. Apart from text and voice messaging, Line provides its users with more than 250 original stickers and emoticons to buy from its own shop. In the first quarter of 2013 alone, it made $ 17 million just from stickers. The popular app also allows friends to battle each other in the Line games.
1.The first paragraph of the passage is used to_____________________.
A. introduce the most popular mobile messaging apps in China
B. talk about new features in the latest mobile messaging apps
C. draw readers’ attention to various popular mobile messaging apps
D. explain how mobile messaging apps have become so popular
2.Compared with the other two apps, which of the following features makes Line stand out?
A. Group mobile games.
B. Free stickers and emoticons.
C. Free download of the app.
D. Text and group chat.
3.One of the popular features of WhatsApp is that users_____________________.
A. can send and receive messages for free
B. can enjoy live video chats within groups
C. regularly set free stickers and emoticons
D. don’t need to worry about unwanted ads
难度: 中等查看答案及解析
Grown-ups are often surprised by how well they remember something they learned as children but have never practiced ever since. A man who has not had a chance to go swimming for years can still swim as well as ever when he gets back in the water. He can get on a bicycle after many years and still ride away. He can play catch and hit a ball as well as his son. A mother who has not thought about the words for years can teach her daughter the poem that begins “Twinkle, twinkle, little star” or remember the story of Cinderella or Goldilocks and the Three Bears.
One explanation is the law of overlearning, which can be stated as follows: Once we have learned something, additional learning trials will help strengthen the related knowledge and skills.
In childhood we usually continue to practice such skills as swimming, bicycle riding, and playing baseball long after we have learned them. We continue to listen to and remind ourselves of words such as “Twinkle, twinkle, little star” and childhood tales such as Cinderella and Goldilocks. We not only learn but overlearn.
The multiplication tables (乘法口诀表) are also an exception to the general rule that we forget rather quickly the things that we learn in school, because they are another of the things we overlearn in childhood.
The law of overlearning explains why cramming for an examination, though it may result in a passing grade, is not a satisfactory way to learn a college course. By cramming, a student may learn the subject well enough to get by on the examination, but he is likely soon to forget almost everything he learned. A little overlearning, on the other hand, is really necessary for one’s future development.
1.What’s the main idea of Paragraph 1?
A. People remember well what they learned in childhood.
B. Children have a better memory than grown-ups.
C. Poem reading is a good way to learn words.
D. Stories for children are easy to remember.
2.The author explains the law of overlearning by _______.
A. presenting research findings B. analysing statistics
C. making a comparison D. using examples
3.According to the author, being able to use multiplication tables is _______.
A. a result of overlearning
B. a special case of cramming
C. a skill to deal with math problems
D. a basic step towards advanced studies
4.What does the underlined word “cramming” in the last paragraph refer to?
A. A way which leads to failure in college exams.
B. A study method only helpful in a limited way.
C. A way that will result in good memory.
D. An approach to increasing students’ learning interest.
难度: 中等查看答案及解析
Many of us deal with the rush every morning in preparation for work or school, but it doesn't have to be this way. With a little time management, these steps can help you cut down on your morning stress.
Create an evening preparation routine.
1. These simple tasks will take you less than 30 minutes to complete each evening and will save you a huge headache every morning.
Get a good night's sleep.
Make sure you start winding down for bed at a reasonable hour to allow enough time for a healthy night's sleep. 2. If needed, set a bedtime reminder alarm on your alarm clock. Always keep the temperature in your bedroom comfortably cool.
3.
An extra 30 minutes in the morning will make a difference. As long as you go to bed on time, waking up 30 minutes earlier should seem natural after just a few days. Use this time to think, shower and eat breakfast.
Plan a realistic day.
Writing things down means you don't have to worry about forgetting to do them. 4. Write down anything that cannot be put off to the following day.
5.
Getting up to face a new day is far more satisfying when you have something to look forward to. Make sure you manage your time better so that you have time to do something you love on a daily basis.
A. Morning stress is very common.
B. Schedule something you love daily.
C. Never fill your mind with unnecessary worries.
D. Make a summary of what you did in the daytime.
E. Wake up 30 minutes earlier.
F. Iron your clothes, locate your keys, plan a nutritious breakfast, etc.
G. Most people require seven to eight hours' sleep each night.
难度: 中等查看答案及解析
One month ago, my daughter started kindergarten. As usual, I wished her success. I was telling a lie. What I actually wish for her is __________. I believe in the power of failure.
Success is __________ in a sense. Success is proving that you can do something that you already know you can do, or doing something correctly the first time, which can __________ be a problematic victory. First-time success is usually a fluke (侥幸). First-time failure, ________, is expected; it is the natural order of things.
Failure is how we learn. I have been told of an African phrase __________ a good cook as “she who has broken many pots”. If you have spent enough time in the __________ to have broken a lot of pots, probably you know a fair amount about __________. I once had a late dinner with a group of chefs, and they spent time ________ knife wounds and burn scars. They knew how much credibility (可信度) their __________ gave them.
I earn my __________ by writing a daily newspaper column. Each week I am __________ that one column is going to be the worst column of the week. I don’t just set out to write it; I try my best every day. __________, every week, one column is inferior (较差的) to the others, sometimes extremely so.
I have learned to __________ that column. A successful column usually means that I am treading (踏) on __________ ground, going with tricks that work, or dressing up popular ideas in fancy words. Often in my inferior columns, I am trying to __________ something I’ve never done before, something that I’m not even sure can be done.
My daughter is a perfectionist. She will feel her failures, and I will want to __________ her. But I will also, I hope, __________ her of what she learned, and how she can do __________ next time. I probably won’t tell her that failure is a good thing, because that’s not a(n) __________ you can learn when you’re five. I hope I can tell her, though, that it’s not the end of the world. Indeed, with luck, it is the __________.
1.A. success B. failure C. victory D. sacrifice
2.A. demanding B. worthwhile C. correct D. boring
3.A. often B. rarely C. always D. hardly
4.A. in addition B. on purpose C. by contrast D. in demand
5.A. denying B. describing C. pointing D. predicting
6.A. dormitory B. yard C. kitchen D. field
7.A. gardening B. training C. displaying D. cooking
8.A. comparing B. making C. learning D. curing
9.A. wounds B. failures C. scars D. strengths
10.A. living B. support C. skill D. similarity
11.A. ambitious B. grateful C. confident D. aware
12.A. Moreover B. Still C. Otherwise D. Therefore
13.A. adapt B. update C. cherish D. review
14.A. accessible B. similar C. sensitive D. familiar
15.A. get through B. figure out C. comment on D. take in
16.A. amuse B. comfort C. scold D. reward
17.A. warn B. cheat C. remind D. suspect
18.A. better B. luckier C. worse D. less
19.A. experience B. trick C. lesson D. truth
20.A. process B. destination C. ending D. beginning
难度: 中等查看答案及解析
阅读下面材料，在空白处填入适当的内容（1个单词）或括号内单词的正确形式。
Cloning is a way of 1.(make) an exact copy of another animal and plant.2. has two major uses. One is 3. gardeners use it to produce commercial quantities of plants. The 4. is that it is valuable for research on new species and for medical research on animals. 5., the process of cloning is difficult to undertake.
Many attempts to clone mammals failed. The first successful clone, Dolly the sheep, made the whole 6.(science) world follow its process, though it had 7. problems than the normal sheep. On the other hand, Dolly’s appearance 8.(raise) a storm of objections and had a great impact 9. the media and public imagination. Different people have different opinions of it. However, scientists still wonder whether cloning will help 10. harm us and where it is leading us.
难度: 简单查看答案及解析
假定英语课上老师要求同桌之间交换修改作文，请你修改你同桌写的以下作文。文中共有10处语言错误，每句中最多有两处。每处错误仅涉及一个单词的增加、删除或修改。
增加：在缺词处加一个漏字符号（∧），并在其下面写出该加的词
删除：把多余的词用斜线（\）划掉。
修改：在错的词下划一横线，并在该词下面写出修改后的词。
注意：1.每处错误及其修改均仅限一词；
2.只允许修改10处，多者（从第11处起）不计分。
I am the shared bike. I’d like to be on the street to serve for people. They can ride me just via a mobile app. But horrible things happen a few days ago. Several people stole some of us with paying their bills on the app but treated us badly. They broke my saddle and even threw my friends everywhere. We felt angry for which those bad guys had done. Thanks to some kindly people, we received careful “treatment”. Now, you help as well as the whole society’s attention is what we need most. We are designed to help people who are stuck the heavy traffic. We are neither toy nor private vehicles. Please obey the basic rules.
难度: 中等查看答案及解析
假设你是李华，在一所国际中学就读，你决定参加校学生会（the Students’ Union）主席的竞选。现请你用英语准备一份竞选演讲稿，内容包括：
1. 自我介绍（性格和爱好等）；
2. 当选之后的举措（至少列举两点）。
要求：（1）演讲稿的开头和结尾已为你写好（不计入总词数）；
（2）文中不得出现真实的校名和人名；
（3）字数100词左右。
Good afternoon ,everyone ! Thank you for giving me this opportunity . Now let me introduce myself ._____
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Thanks for your attention !
难度: 中等查看答案及解析