It’s always nice to have a little help around...

It’s always nice to have a little help around the house. But what if you could employ the assistance of one of the greatest minds of the 20th century？

That’s the idea behind a new robot modeled after Albert Einstein. Called Professor Einstein and standing at just over a foot tall, this personal assistant can tell you the weather and keep track of your schedule like any other robots. With built-in Wi-Fi, Einstein robot has access to brain ceasing games, and can answer math problems and science questions. With natural language speech processing, you can actually interact with Professor Einstein. And because the robot is connected to the Internet, it is constantly updated with new information.

To help get the perfect replica（复制品）of Einstein, the Hong Kong-based tech company Hanson Robotics turned to the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, the home of the Albert Einstein archives（档案）. “We worked very closely with them to bring the product co marker,” the company’s Dr. Jeanne Lim said.

Einstein robot was introduced to the public at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas and was quickly hailed by those who saw it. “He became one of the breakout stars of the convention,” wrote Melia Robinson on Business Insider. “Crowds flooded into the company to have a look at the little guy.”

“Technology is often now very cold and socially isolating（孤立的）,” explained David Hanson, the co-founder of the company behind the new robot, “By bringing an lively character into our physical world, we’re humanizing（使人性化）the technology instead of dehumanizing the humans.”

As for Hanson Robotics, the company has been building human-size robots for over a decade. But this marks the company’s first commercially available product. “Professor Einstein is just the start,” said Hanson. “We’re witnessing the arrival of conversational robots that can walk in our world. It’s a golden age of invention.”

1.What can Einstein robot do？

A.Teach you to learn any new language.

B.Have a regular conversation with you.

C.Design a number of science questions.

D.Keep track of other robots constantly.

2.Which of the following best explains “hailed” underlined in paragraph 4？

A.Broken. B.Improved.

C.ignored. D.Praised.

3.What can be inferred from David Hanson’s words？

A.He expects humans to be less isolated from robots.

B.He dreams of humanizing humans through invention.

C.He worries about a golden age for conversational robots.

D.He stays hopeful about the future of robot invention.

4.What can be a suitable title for the text?

A.A New Robot Makes Humans Much Happier

B.The Golden Age of Invention Is Approaching

C.Albert Einstein Changes into an Assistant

D.Albert Einstein Helps to Humanize Robots

高二英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析

When I was growing up my dad would often give me small tasks to finish to help out around the house. Some were easy but the three I remember the most were the three ______ of all. The first was helping to weed the four

____ we had. It was ______ work. I would rather ride my bike than crawl in the dirt on my hands and knees

____ the thousands of weeds in our gardens. The second was piling firewood for ______. It was tough work and I got more than my share of pieces. I would rather walk in the woods than piling it in rows. The third was _______water from a mountain spring to our house ______ our well water had too much iron in it to ______.

Over the years, though, I learned to see the ______ in all the things my dad had made me do. Having fresh vegetables for dinner was a delight. ______ a cold glass of iced tea made from the mountain spring water was a pure ______. Standing by the wood stove on a snowy December day was a wonderful way to ______. I saw as well that all this work my dad had given me had ______ made me a better, stronger and more caring man. Most of all, I ______ that when I did my work with a(n) ______ heart, it didn’t feel like work at all.

Over the years I have learned something else too. When we do the work for our Heavenly Father with a _______spirit, it doesn’t feel like work, either. It feels like that every act of ______, word of encouragement, and gift of love we share will only make our lives ______, make our hearts happier, and bring our souls closer to Heaven.

I am so ______ to both my dad and my Father in Heaven. They showed me the ______ of work and more importantly they showed me the pricelessness of love.

1.A. simplest　　 B. most suitable　　 C. most awesome　　 D. toughest

2.A. basements　　 B. armchairs　　 C. gardens　　 D. streets

3.A. awful　　 B. elegant　　 C. bound　　 D. noisy

4.A. operating　　 B. scanning　　 C. pushing　　 D. pulling

5.A. staff　　 B. holiday　　 C. winter　　 D. accommodation

6.A. distributing　　 B. dragging　　 C. carrying　　 D. conducting

7.A. because　　 B. unless　　 C. otherwise　　 D. but

8.A. boil　　 B. obtain　　 C. undertake　　 D. drink

9.A. regulations　　 B. attention　　 C. rewards　　 D. superiors

10.A. Seizing　　 B. Enjoying　　 C. Performing　　 D. Reforming

11.A. desire　　 B. challenge　　 C. significance　　 D. pleasure

12.A. dry up　　 B. warm up　　 C. stay up　　 D. keep up

13.A. merely　　 B. immediately　　 C. gradually　　 D. temporarily

14.A. remembered　　 B. recommended　　 C. regretted　　 D. realized

15.A. ambitious　　 B. happy　　 C. brae　　 D. modest

16.A. loving　　 B. competing　　 C. outgoing　　 D. punishing

17.A. witness　　 B. curiosity　　 C. kindness　　 D. sympathy

18.A. richer　　 B. better　　 C. worse　　 D. poorer

19.A. kind　　 B. lucky　　 C. grateful　　 D. vivid

20.A. key　　 B. way　　 C. aim　　 D. value

高二英语完形填空中等难度题查看答案及解析

A lot of students around the world have to wear uniforms every day, but dress codes are not the same in every country.1.

Not all children like to wear uniforms in their everyday life. When I was a school girl, I had to wear a uniform. It was a dark brown dress with a black apron. I couldn’t wear anything else. All the girls in my country had to wear this uniform.2.

I remember how I hated to put on my uniform every morning. I couldn’t even use colorful hairpins because colorful things were prohibited. All the pupils looked the same, and nobody liked that uniform.

My friends and I talked about it very often. 3. All we wanted was to feel comfortable and to be different from other children.

Nowadays, the dress code in my country has changed. There are no more uniforms. 4. For example, my younger brother, who is a high school student, now likes to wear jeans because they are comfortable, and he doesn’t want to change back to a uniform.

However, the government now wants to make a new dress for schools and require uniforms again. Fortunately, the new uniform is supposed to be less formal than the old one.

5. If children prefer to wear colorful clothes, adults should permit them to do so. Kids have to enjoy going to school. That is why everything has to be done to make pupils feel comfortable at school.

A. For boys, it was a dark blue suit.

B. Wearing a uniform has a special meaning for students.

C. They depend on the culture and traditions of each country.

D. Caring too much about how they dress shouldn’t be a big concern for students.

E. We imagined how we would dress if there were no uniforms.

F. Children can dress whatever they like.

G. In my opinion, it is good idea to have a freestyle dress code.

高二英语七选五困难题查看答案及解析

Many kids help out around the house with chores(家庭杂务) such as emptying the dishwasher, putting laundry away, and taking out the trash. In exchange, some kids get allowances(补贴) or other rewards such as extra computer time.

But some people do not think that kids should get rewards for doing chores. Susie Walton, a parenting educator and family coach, believes that by rewarding kids, parents are sending a message that work isn’t worth doing unless you get something in return. "Running any kind of household is a team effort," Susie said. "A home is a living space for everyone in the family. It’s important for kids to see that we all have responsibilities in the house, and that families decide together how they want their home to look, and how they are going to keep it looking like everyone wants it to look."

Other people believe that getting a cash allowance or other rewards motivates kids to do chores, and it also teaches them real world lessons about how we need to work to earn money. There are also new applications that give kids points and digital gifts that can be redeemed(兑取) either online or in the real world. With the ChoreMonster app, kids earn digital points by completing chores that they can turn in for real-life rewards such as extra Xbox time or a trip to the mall. "Our goal is to encourage kids to earn rewards," says Chris Bergman, founder of ChoreMonster. "Kids need positive reinforcement(强化) to help motivate them."

What do you think? Should kids be rewarded for doing chores? Or should kids help out around their homes without getting anything in return?

Write a 200-word response. Send it to tfkasks4youtimeforkids.com. Your response may be published in a future issue of Time For Kids. Please include your grade and contact information of your parent or teacher if you want your response to be published. The deadline for responding is February 18.

1.How does the author start the passage?

A. By comparing different views.

B. By listing some evidence.

C. By presenting some facts.

D. By stating his own experiences.

2.According to Susie Walton, _______.

A. kids should be rewarded for doing chores

B. parents decide what kids can do for the family

C. kids can get extra computer time for doing chores

D. kids have the responsibility to share housework

3.Paragraph 3 is mainly about ________.

A. Chris Bergman’s opinion on raising kids

B. main reasons why kids need encouragement

C. the advantage of rewarding kids for doing chores

D. how to motivate kids to try new applications

4.The purpose of writing the text is to __________.

A. inform readers of two different opinions

B. call on readers to reflect on their behavior

C. invite readers to express their opinions

D. present the author’s viewpoint about parenting

高二英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析

Many kids help out around the house with chores(家庭杂务) such as emptying the dishwasher， putting laundry away， and taking out the trash. In exchange， some kids get allowances(补贴) or other rewards such as extra computer time.

But some people do not think that kids should get rewards for doing chores. Susie Walton， a parenting educator and family coach， believes that by rewarding kids， parents are sending a message that work isn't worth doing unless you get something in return. “Running any kind of household is a team effort，” Susie said，“a home is a living space for everyone in the family. It's important for kids to see that we all have responsibilities in the house， and that families decide together how they want their home to look， and how they are going to keep it looking like everyone wants it to look.”

Other people believe that getting a cash allowance or other rewards motivates kids to do chores， and it also teaches them real world lessons about how we need to work to earn money. There are also new applications that give kids points and digital gifts that can be redeemed(兑取) either online or in the real world. With the Chore Monster app kids earn digital points by completing chores that they can turn in for real-life rewards such as extra Xbox time or a trip to the mall. “Our goal is to encourage kids to earn rewards” says Chris Bergman， founder of Chore Monster，“Kids need positive reinforcement(强化) to help motivate them.”

What do you think? Should kids be rewarded for doing chores? Or should kids help out around their homes without getting anything in return? Write a 200-word response. Send it to tfkasks4you@timeforkids.com. Your response may be published in a future issue of Time For Kids. Please include your grade and contact information of your parent or teacher if you want your response to be published. The deadline for responding is February 18.

1.How does the author start the passage?

A.By listing some evidence.

B.By presenting some facts.

C.By comparing different views.

D.By stating his own experiences.

2.Which statement is true according to Susie Walton?

A.Kids should be rewarded for doing chores.

B.Parents decide what kids can do for the family.

C.Kids have the responsibility to share housework.

D.Kids can get extra computer time for doing chores.

3.The purpose of writing the text is to　　　　　 .

A.invite readers to express their opinions

B.inform readers of two different opinions

C.call on readers to reflect on their behavior

D.present the author's viewpoint about parenting

高二英语阅读理解简单题查看答案及解析

When I was little, I always wanted a luxurious house. That was my idea to be successful. I took all the classes with full carefulness and tried to do well in the exams with my mind set on going to a key school. I just knew that I would somehow become famous and be able to afford the dream house. All the way through junior years, my mind was planning this wonderful future.

Then in the tenth grade, many losses changed my mind. First, one of my friends died at 16. Soon after, my great-grandmother passed away, followed by my beloved fourth-grade teacher. These events left me not knowing what to do or where to go. Death had never touched me so closely.

After a long period of emptiness, it finally struck me: Life is not promised and neither is future success. Though I was attempting to achieve material success, I was not enjoying my daily life. I realized that finding inner peace, purpose and happiness will stick with me forever and that is real success.

Enjoying life's precious quirks(偶发事件) makes an ordinary person more successful than a wealthy person who isn't content and takes everything for granted. The summer before senior years, my attitude changed greatly. Instead of memorizing facts, I began learning skills. Instead of focusing on the future, I focused on today and the many blessings and successes that came with it.

I still get excellent grades, but now I devote weeks to studying instead of struggling for exams, and I think about the future with a deeper sense of meaning. For me, being successful means truly living life each day.

1.What’s the idea of success for the author at first?

A. Getting a great house　　 B. Taking classes carefully

C. Doing well in the exams　　 D. Being famous

2.Why did the author change his idea to be successful?

A. His beloved teacher was dead

B. He lost a few beloved persons in a short time

C. He couldn’t afford a house

D. He didn't know how to fight for the house

3.According to the passage, which of the following is true?

A. His teacher died before the death of his grandpa

B. He thought that life and success were not promised

C. He failed the exams after he changed his attitude

D. He didn’t want to achieve material success any longer

4.What does the author wants to tell the readers?

A. Material success is unnecessary

B. He was glad that he changed his mind

C. Set goals and work hard to be successful

D. Cherish every moment and truly live life

高二英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析

The house rent is expensive. I’ve got about half the space I had at home but I have to pay _____ here.

A. as three times much　　　　 B. as much three times

C. much as three times　　　　 D. three times as much

高二英语单项填空中等难度题查看答案及解析

Have you ever wondered why the roots of the plants always know which way to grow—into the soil but not above it? Some British scientists have recently solved this mystery.

It turns out that roots have special hairs that tie them into the soil and help them grow their way past obstacles, a team at the John Inners Center in Norwich reports in the February 29 issue of Journal Science.

“The key is in the fuzzy(有绒毛的)coat of hairs on the roots of plants,” says professor Liam Dolan. “We have found a growth control system that enables these hairs to find their way and to become longer when their path is clear.”

Root hairs explore the soil in much the same way a person would feel their way in the dark. If they come across an obstacle, they make their way around until they can continue growing in an opening. In the meantime, the plant is held in place as the hairs grip(紧紧抓住)the soil.

The hairs are guided by a clever chemical trick. A protein(蛋白质) at the tip of the root hairs called RHD2 helps them to take calcium(钙) from the soil. Calcium makes the hairs grow, and produce more RHD2, and take more calcium.

But when an obstacle blocks the hair’s path, or the hair reaches the surface of the soil, the cycle is broken and growth starts in another direction.

This system gives plants the flexibility to explore a complex environment and to live in even the most unpromising soils, says Dolan.

In poor soils such as in parts of Australia and Africa, native plants have adapted by producing enormous numbers of root hairs. A better understanding of this adaptation will allow scientists to develop hairy rooted crops that can grow in unfriendly environments.

According to Dolan, “Research in the John Inners Center is taking a breeding approach to increase hair length in wheat but it will be some time before new cultivars(栽培变种) are developed.”

1.The passage is mainly about _______.

2.How does the circle work?

3.We can infer from the last paragraph that ________.

高二英语阅读理解困难题查看答案及解析

The house rent is expensive. I’ve got about half the space I had at home but I have to pay_______here.

A. as three times much            B. as much three times

C. much as three times            D. three times as much

高二英语单项填空中等难度题查看答案及解析

The house rent is expensive. I’ve got about half the space I had at home but I have to pay _______ here.

A. as three times much                    B. as much three times

C. much as three times                    D. three times as much

高二英语单项填空中等难度题查看答案及解析