Whether in the home or the workplace, social robots are going to become a lot more common in the next few years. Social robots are about to bring technology to the everyday world in a more humanized way, said Cynthia Breazeal, chief scientist at the robot company Jibo.
While household robots today do the normal housework, social robots will be much more like companions than mere tools. For example, these robots will be able to distinguish when someone is happy or sad. This allows them to respond more appropriately to the user.
The Jibo robot, arranged to ship later this year, is designed to be a personalized assistant. You can talk to the robot, ask it questions, and make requests for it to perform different tasks. The robot doesn’ t just deliver general answers to questions; it responds based on what it learns about each individual in the household. It can do things such as reminding an elderly family member to take medicine or taking family photos.
Social robots are not just finding their way into the home. They have potential applications in everything from education to health care and are already finding their way into some of these spaces.
Fellow Robots is one company bringing social robots to the market. The company’ s “ Oshbot” robot is built to assist customers in a store, which can help the customers find items and help guide them to the product’ s location in the store. It can also speak different languages and make recommendations for different items based on what the customer is shopping for.
The more interaction the robot has with humans, the more it learns. But Oshbot, like other social robots, is not intended to replace workers, but to work alongside other employees. “ We have technologies to train social robots to do things not for us, but with us,” said Breazeal.
1.How are social robots different from household robots?
A.They can control their emotions.
B.They are more like humans.
C.They do the normal housework.
D.They respond to users more slowly.
2.What can a Jibo robot do according to Paragraph 3?
A.Communicate with you and perform operations.
B.Answer your questions and make requests.
C.Take your family pictures and deliver milk.
D.Obey your orders and remind you to take pills.
3.We can learn from the last paragraph that social robots will ______.
A.train employees
B.be our workmates
C.improve technologies
D.take the place of workers
4.What does the passage mainly present?
A.A new design idea of household robots.
B.Marketing strategies for social robots.
C.Information on household robots.
D.An introduction to social robots.
难度: 简单查看答案及解析
Summer Program Guide for Teens Pre-College Immersive Program
Wellesley College is known for the thousands of accomplished women it has sent out into the world—women who are committed to making a difference. Especially designed for high school girls, the program is based on Wellesley’s campus. Students will take courses and become members of the Wellesley community.
When: July 7 - August 1
More Information: 781-283-2748 Young Scholars Program
Open to high school students who have an academic average of 3.2 or better, the program is a great introduction to the University of Maryland. Seminars featuring speakers in innovative（革新的） career or academic fields further enrich the learning experience. Students enjoy movie nights, activities at the students’ union and more.
When: July 8 - July 27
More Information: 301-405-7762 Zeal Adventure and Travel
We offer two-week and three-week long trips to Hawaii, Alaska, Australia, Costa Rica, and Spain. All trips include 15 to 25 hours of community service activities. Depending on your trip of choice, you’ll be volunteering with sea turtles, caring for dogs in Spain, and much more. Every trip also includes exciting outdoor activities like surfing, ice climbing and hiking.
More Information: 844-282-9325 California College Tour
Students will visit top schools throughout the state on this fun-filled tour. The tour includes enjoying tourist attractions along the way, including Disneyland! Along the way, students take college tours, meet with admissions staff, and learn how to make the most out of future college visits.
More Information: 510-548-6612
1.What can you do if you attend the Young Scholars Program?
A.Take part in various outdoor activities.
B.Learn the history of Wellesley College.
C.Watch films together with other students.
D.Enjoy some tourist attractions along the way.
2.Which number can provide access to volunteering chances?
A.301-405-7762.
B.510-548-6612.
C.781-283-2748.
D.844-282-9325.
3.Which program may help students make a choice during the college application?
A.California College Tour.
B.Young Scholars Program.
C.Zeal Adventure and Travel.
D.Pre-College Immersive Program.
难度: 简单查看答案及解析
Papa, as a son of a dirt-poor farmer, left school early and went to work in a factory, for education was for the rich then. So, the world became his school. With great interest, he read everything he could lay his hands on, listened to the town elders and learned about the world beyond his tiny hometown. "There's so much to learn," he'd say. "Though we're born stupid, only the stupid remain that way.” He was determined that none of his children would be denied an education.
Thus, Papa insisted that we learn at least one new thing each day. Though, as children, we thought this was crazy, it would never have occurred to us to deny Papa a request. And dinner time seemed perfect for sharing what we had learned. We would talk about the news of the day; no matter how insignificant, it was never taken lightly. Papa would listen carefully and was ready with some comment, always to the point. Then came the moment—the time to share the day's new learning. Papa, at the head of the table, would push back his chair and pour a glass of red wine, ready to listen. "Felice," he'd say, "tell me what you learned today.” "I learned that the population of Nepal is ....” Silence.
Papa was thinking about what was said, as if the salvation of the world would depend upon it. “The population of Nepal. Hmm. Well . . . . ” he’d say. “Get the map; let's see where Nepal is.” And the whole family went on a search for Nepal.
This same experience was repeated until each family member had a turn. Dinner ended only after we had a clear understanding of at least half a dozen such facts.
As children, we thought very little about these educational wonders. Our family, however, was growing together, sharing experiences and participating in one another's education. And by looking at us, listening to us, respecting our input, affirming our value, giving us a sense of dignity, Papa was unquestionably our most influential teacher.
Later during my training as a future teacher, I studied with some of the most famous educators. They were imparting what Papa had known all along—the value of continual learning. His technique has served me well all my life. Not a single day has been wasted, though I can never tell when knowing the population of Nepal might prove useful.
1.What do we know from the first paragraph?
A.The author's father was born in a worker's family.
B.Those born stupid could not change their life.
C.The town elders wanted to learn about the world.
D.The poor could hardly afford school education.
2.The underlined word "it" in the second paragraph refers to .
A.one new thing B.a request
C.the news D.some comment
3.It can be learned from the passage that the author .
A.enjoyed talking about news
B.knew very well about Nepal
C.felt regret about those wasted days
D.appreciated his father's educational technique
4.The author's father can be best described as .
A.an educator expert at training future teachers
B.a parent insistent on his children's education
C.a participant willing to share his knowledge
D.a teacher strict about everything his students did
难度: 中等查看答案及解析
A new study shows that rising levels of planet-warming gases may reduce important nutrients（营养物质）in food crops
Researchers studied the effects of carbon dioxide on rice， In the experiment， scientists grew 18 kinds of rice in fields in China and Japan．They set carbon dioxide levels to what scientists are predicting for our planet by the end of the century．Rice grown under high carbon dioxide conditions had，on average，13 t0 30 percent lower levels of four B vitamins and 10 percent less protein（蛋白质）The crops also had 8 percent less iron and 5 percent less zinc than rice grown under normal conditions However， vitamin E leveLs increased by about 13 percent on average．
The researchers said the effects of planet-warming gases would be most sevcre for the poorest citizens in some of the least developed countries．These people generally eat the most rice and have the least complex diets．That includes abour 600 million people in Indonesia， Cambodia，Myanmar，Bangladesh，Laos and other nations，mainly in Southeast Asia．
Other studies have shown that higher temperatures from climate change and weather extremes will reduce food production．But scientists are finding that rising levcls of carbon dioxide and other planet-warming gases threaten food quality．
Earlier studies showed that wheat，rice，field peas and soybeans grown under high carbon dioxide conditions all had Iower levels of protein and mincrais．Scientists predicted that almost 150 million people might be at risk of having too little protein or zinc in their diet by 2050．
The new study suggests a way to lower the nutritional harm of climate change．That is to grow different forms of rice that can adapt to higher carbon dioxide levels．
1.Growing rice under high carbon dioxide conditions may____．
A.increase iron in the rice
B.make it less nutritious
C.cause losses of Vitamin E
D.make it more delicious
2.How can people reduce the nutritional harm of climate change？
A.By importing rice from China and Japan．
B.By taking other kinds of food instead of rice．
C.By avoiding eating rice from Southeast Asia．
D.By growing rice suitable for the environment．
3.What’s the author’s purpose of writing the text？
A.To infom readers what nurrients food crops contain．
B.To call on people to care for the planet they live on．
C.To share the results of some studies on people’s diets．
D.To tell readers where food crops are mainly produced．
4.In which part of a magazine can you read the text？
A.Advertisements． B.Arts and culture．
C.Science report． D.Business news．
难度: 中等查看答案及解析
Muzak
The next time you go into a bank, a store, or a supermarket, stop and listen. What do you hear? 1.. It's similar to the music you listen to, but it's not exactly the same. That's because this music was especially designed to relax you, or to give you extra energy. Sometimes you don't even realize the music is playing, but you react to the music anyway.
Quiet background music used to be called "elevator (电梯) music" because we often heard it in elevators. But lately we hear it in more and more places, and it has a new name "Muzak". About one-third of the people in America listen to "Muzak" every day. The music plays for 15 minutes at a time, with short pauses in between. It is always more lively between ten and eleven in the morning, and between three and four in the afternoon, when people are more tired. 2..
If you listen to Muzak carefully, you will probably recognize the names of many of the songs. Some musicians or songwriters don't want their songs to be used as Muzak, but others are happy when their songs are chosen. Why? 3..
Music is often played in public places because it is designed to make people feel less lonely when they are in an airport or a hotel. It has been proven that Muzak doeswhat it is designed to do. Tired office workers suddenly have more energy when they hear the pleasant sound of Muzak in the background. 4.. Supermarket shoppers buy 38 percent more groceries.
5.. They say it's boring to hear the same songs all the time. But other people enjoy hearing Muzak in public places. They say it helps them relax and feel calm. One way or another, Muzak affects everyone. Some farmers even say their cows give more milk when they hear Muzak!
A.Some people don't like Muzak.
B.The music gives them extra energy.
C.Music is playing in the background.
D.Factory workers produce 13 percent more.
E.Muzak tends to help people understand music better.
F.They get as much as $4 million a year if their songs are used.
G.Muzak is played in most of the big supermarkets in the world.
难度: 简单查看答案及解析
It was a freezing day when I came across her at some point on my life course. She was a small woman,_______to catch the bus at a deserted bus stop.
“Where are you going now?” the woman asked.
Well, I don’t know. I just want to see what it will be like at the___________. You know I ___________it all. We were going to get ___________after four years’ ups and downs. And he came one day, with nothing to say, just to show me a ___________on his finger.”
The woman gave a ___________of sympathy. She seemed to well understand my pain. “Now, do you want to _______my life story while we’re waiting for the bus?” the woman asked me in a low voice. I gave her a(n) _______ look and nodded my head.
“Exactly thirty five years ago, my husband took me and my three children to America. The moment we arrived, he left us ___________with a wish for good luck, to ____________his own happiness. Yet how could I ________my three children in a strange land, with no money, no relatives and a(n)____________ heart? Then I took the kids to the beach one afternoon. However, the kids were scared and they cried ____________. Their desperation suddenly woke me up from a long nightmare. How____________ I was!”
She continued, “I hugged them tightly, feeling a sudden strength ____________me. Then, I did all the things that brought me ____________a penny. Days in, days out, we ____________each other to gather enough encouragement to go ahead. My kids grew up into good, responsible citizens. Later, I found a man with the same pain. I feel ____________ has paid me off.”
The woman stopped for a while. She ____________my eyes and whispered in my ears, “Now stand up, little girl. Don’t go to the terminal because there’s nothing to see. Why don’t you get cheered up and enjoy the __________on the way?”
1.A.pretending B.designing C.waiting D.trying
2.A.stop B.road C.place D.terminal
3.A.lost B.made C.abandoned D.ruined
4.A.paid B.married C.promoted D.deserted
5.A.flower B.gift C.ring D.necklace
6.A.touch B.whistle C.reply D.sigh
7.A.tell B.hear C.cover D.make
8.A.blank B.cold C.innocent D.fresh
9.A.out B.off C.over D.behind
10.A.rescue B.seek C.share D.own
11.A.shelter B.educate C.command D.survive
12.A.delighted B.frightened C.broken D.excited
13.A.deliberately B.wildly C.causally D.occasionally
14.A.curious B.proud C.brave D.selfish
15.A.inside B.alongside C.beneath D.over
16.A.also B.almost C.even D.still
17.A.fought against B.argued with C.complained to D.depended on
18.A.life B.career C.friendship D.money
19.A.glared at B.looked into C.searched for D.saw through
20.A.conversation B.vehicle C.scenery D.love
难度: 中等查看答案及解析
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、删改或修改。
增加：在缺词处加一个漏字符号（Λ），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。
Dear John,
I was very happy to receive your e- mail in that you asked me about my life. As a Senior 3 student, I was now working very hard to preparing for the National College Entrance Examination. In class, I listen to the teachers attentively and take notes careful. Out off class, I take an active part in various sport to keep healthy, which, I believe, is very important for my study.
Both my teachers and parents give me many support. With their help and encouragement, I have been made great progress and been able to build up our confidence. I have decided to attend medical university.
Best wishes,
Yours，
Mary
难度: 中等查看答案及解析
你居住的社区是个国际化程度很高的地方，为了确保与来自各个国家的外国朋友的有效沟通，社区发起了英语志愿者招募活动。假如你是学生李华，希望能成为其中一员。请按要求用英文给社区写一封申请信，内容包括： 1.个人情况；2.自身优势； 3.服务承诺。
注意：1.词数 100 左右； 2.可以适当增加细节，以使行文连贯；3.开头和结尾已为你写好，不计入总词数。
Dear Sir/Madam,
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Yours faithfully,
Li Hua
难度: 困难查看答案及解析