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Have you dreamed of building your own machine? Do you wish you could invent something new? Here we look at a few British inventions of recent times.
Adaptable Glasses
Do you wear glasses? If so, can you imagine life without them? In 1985, Joshua Silver, a professor at Oxford University, asked himself, “Can I invent a pair of glasses that could be changed by the wearer?” He designed two plastic lenses(透镜) that are filled with a special liquid. The liquid can be changed between the lenses until you can see clearly. The glasses are not beautiful but they are easy to use and cheap to make.
The Wind-up Radio
When you switch your TV on tonight, think about all those people without electricity. Thinking about this, Trevor Baylis came up with the idea of designing a radio that could be powered by hand. In common with Joshua Silver he wanted his invention to be cheap and easy to use. The radio has a generator (发电机) which is powered by turning a handle. In 1996 it won a BBC Design Award for Best Protect and Best Design.
The Dyson Cleaner
In many homes around the world you can see a cleaner that looks like a spaceship. This is the Dyson vacuum (真空) cleaner which uses something called “cyclonic separation” to separate the dirt. You do not need a bag for your cleaner and it does not get blocked so it is very practical. The idea came to Sir James Dyson after he kept having problems with his vacuum cleaner. He decided he could design a better one and in 1993 he opened his own factory. The Dyson is now one of the best-selling cleaners in the UK and Dyson is believed to have earned over a billion pounds.
The Zapata Fly-board
Ever dreamed of rising through the water and jumping high in the air like a dolphin? Now you can try a fly-board, built by water sports fan Frank Zapata. With it you can dive back in the water and out again. It’s possible to jump to unbelievable heights out of the water—over 30 feet. The basic fly-board model comes in at ￡4,200.
So keep dreaming and inventing. One day you might get it right.
1.Who invented Adaptable Glasses?
A. Joshua Silver. B. Trevor Baylis.
C. James Dyson. D. Frank Zapata.
2.Which invention won an award?
A. Adaptable Glasses. B. The Wind-up Radio.
C. The Dyson Cleaner. D. The Zapata Fly-board.
3.Who might be interested in the invention of the Dyson cleaner?
A. Those who need radios.
B. Those who have eye problems.
C. Those who are fond of diving.
D. Those who want to use cleaners more easily.
4.What might be the best title for the passage?
A. Kind Inventors. B. Cheap Inventions.
C. Creative Minds. D. Future Dreams.
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We have dreams almost every night. Do you ever notice the colors of your dreams? Do you dream in black and white or do you dream in yellow, red and green?
New research suggests that the type of television you watched as a child has a great effect on the color of your dreams.
While almost all people under 25 dream in color, thousands of people over 55, all of whom were brought up with black and white TV sets, often dream in monochrome(黑白画面)。
“It suggests there could be a critical period in our childhood when watching films has a big impact on the way dreams are formed”, said Eva Murzyn, a psychology student at Dundee University in Britain who carried out the study.
Research from 1915 through the 1950s suggested that the vast majority of dreams are in black and white. But the tide(潮流) turned in the sixties, and later results suggested that up to 83 percent of dreams contain some color.
Since this period also marked the transition(过渡) between black-and-white film and TV and Technicolor(印染法彩色)，an obvious explanation was that the media had been painting people’s dreams. However, there weren’t any firm conclusions.
But now Miss Murzyn believes she has proven the link. She made a survey of more than 60 people, half of whom were over 55 and half of whom were under 25.
She asked the volunteers to answer a questionnaire on the color of their dreams and their childhood exposure to film and TV.
She then analyzed her own data. Only 4.4 percent of the under-25s’ dreams were black and white. The over-55s who had had access to color TV and film during their childhood also reported a very low proportion of just 7.3 percent.
But the over-55s who only had access to black-and –white media reported dreaming in black and white about a quarter of the time.
Even though they would have spent only a few hours a day watching TV or films, their attention and emotion would have been heightened during this time, leaving a deeper imprint on their mind, Miss Murzyn told the New Scientist.
“The crucial time is between three and ten when we all begin to have the ability to dream”, she said.
1.What’s the main idea of the passage?
A. The relationship between dream color and the age of the people.
B. The relationship between people’s dreams and colors that they see in their life.
C. The relationship between dreams and types of television and films that people watch.
D. The relationship between dream color and types of television and films people watch.
2. From the text, we can see that ___________.
A. all people who are below 25 dream in color
B. people over 55 always dream in monochrome
C. watching TV or films probably affects dream color
D. people begin to dream when they are 10 years old
3.Which is WRONG according to the passage?
A. Miss Murzyn thought she has proved the connection between dream color and TV and films.
B. Eva Murzyn is a professor at Dundee University in Britain.
C. The period between 3 and 10 is an important time in forming dreams.
D. The 1960s was a time which marked a transition in dream color.
4. In which magazine can you find the article?
A. New Scientist B. Psychology Analysis
C. Aging Healthily D. TV And Film Reviews
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Do you have a beautiful dream? I know almost everyone ________ their own dreams. The dreams are very important ________ them. The dreams can make them__________harder.
I am studying in a school now. My dream is _________a teacher in West China. Many children there want to go to school_________they can't. Their families are very poor and the parents have _________ enough money to send their children to school. But going to school and studying is the only ________to change their life. Teachers are greatly needed there, so I want to be a teacher to help them. I________ kind to my students and make friends with them. I will give them love and teach ________ how to be a useful person. I think it is a great _________in the world.
1.A. has B. have C. is D. are
2.A. at B. to C. in D. with
3.A. to work B. to study C. work D. working
4.A. be B. to make C. to do D. to be
5.A. and B. but C. or D. so
6.A. not B. much C. many D. any
7.A. way B. mean C. success D. moment
8.A. am B. will be C. was D. am going to
9.A. they B. their C. them D. theirs
10.A. room B. book C. school D. job
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If you’re DIY-minded, you can build your own solar power system. In some you can even build your own solar panels, although the amount that you can effectively DIY home solar depends on how much you want to power. Making your own solar panel is a time-consuming process and requires some electrical skills. However, it can also be very regarding—leaning to build your own panel is a great way to understand how electricity in generated.
Before you can build your own solar panels, you first need to understand how solar cells generate electricity. Once you’ve bought individual solar cells (they can be purchased online), the basic process for building your own solar panel goes like this: Prepare the backing for your panel. Many DIY solar panel builders prefer to use a wooden board as the base for their solar cells.
You’ll need to drill holes m the board so that the wires for each cell can pass through. Wire your solar cells together. This requires some experience for electrical work. Use a soldering iron (烙铁) to attach wire to the solar cells and then link each of the cells together. Attach cells to your backing. If possible, attach each solar cell to the backing individually. This makes it easier to replace a single cell in the event that becomes damaged or is not operating properly.
At this point you have a functional solar panel that can produce electricity when the sun shines. However, a solar panel by itself is not useful. If you are trying to generate electricity to power devices in your home, you need to pair your panel with inverter (转换器) that will turn direct current (DC) power from the sun into alternating current (AC) power used in most electronic devices.
1.What does the author think of building DIY solar panel in paragraph 1?
A. It is easy. B. It is necessary.
C. It is common. D. It is worthwhile.
2.What’s the first step of building your own solar panel?
A. Master the advanced knowledge of science.
B. Buy individual solar cells.
C. Prepare the backing for your panel.
D. Drill holes in the wooden board.
3.Why are solar cells connected to the wooden board separately?
A. To produce more power.
B. To pass through the wooden board easily.
C. To attach cells to the backing tightly.
D. To substitute damaged cells easily.
4.What can be inferred from the text?
A. People with electrical skills have advantages over those without in DIY solar panels.
B. A functional solar panel can give power to your home devices directly.
C. How to pair an inverter depends on how much power you want to power.
D. A wooden board is a must for your own solar panels.
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— Can I have a day off tomorrow, Mr. Lee?
---- ，we have a lot of work to do.
A. As you wish B. Forget it
C. Of course D. Go ahead
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Have you ever changed your mind, or even given up a dream because you were afraid of what someone else might think of you? If you’re often worried about what friends, family, or even strangers in the street might think, then you’re using up a huge amount of energy worrying.1. But the steps below should help.
Step 1: Ask yourself what matters to you.
Maybe you can’t stand the gym, but your best friend works out every day. It’s natural for people around you to have different values from you.2.
Step 2:3.
The truth is that I’m not the centre of the world, and neither are you! Most of the people around you are far too busy going about their own lives to think much about you.
Step 3: Recognize that their opinion can’t hurt you.
There are a few cases where opinions will make a difference.4. But the people who really matter are going to love you for who you are.
Step 4: 5.
You can’t control people’s thoughts. You’ve got no idea what might go through their head, or why. You can’t please everyone all of the time, and there’s no need to try to.
A. Do whatever you want to do.
B. This is a hard habit to get rid of.
C. You should make everyone around you happy.
D. So just be clear and honest with yourself.
E. Remember that they’re not all watching you.
F. Accept that you can’t control what people think.
G. For instance, your boss’s opinion is usually important to you.
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1. One of the best things you can possibly do is to start your own club. It’s great fun especially if you are the sort of person who feels there is nerver anything to do during the school holidays.
The first thing you need to come up with is an idea for your club 2..Pets, clothes, pop music or dancing groups, sports, making things? The list is endless.
Next you need some friends to be in your club with you.3.All you need is three or four other people who are interested in the same things as you.
4.You should all sit down somewhere together with lots of pieces of paper and write down every name you can think up. That’ll keep you busy for ages.
At your first meeting you should make up a rule book. And the very first rule should be no grown-ups or little/big brothers/sisters! The best clubs are always secret!
Now you have just about everything you need, except membership cards. These are very important and again you can spend a lot of time making them.5.Why not leave some space for a photo of yourself? That will make the membership card really look like it.
So there you are, get clubbing! Once you get started you will think of loads of more interesting things to do!
A. That’s easy!
B. Easy conversation
C. Enjoy your own club!
D. Invite a designer to join you.
E. The summer vacation is just around the corner.
F. Then you need to pick a name for your club.
G. Use bright thick pens to make a special design.
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1.One of the best things you can possibly do is to start your own club. It’s great fun especially if you are the sort of person who feels there’s never anything to do during the school holidays.
The first thing you need to come up with is an idea for your club. 2. Pets, clothes, pop music or dancing groups, sports, making things? The list is endless.
Next you need some friends to be in your club with you. 3.All you need is three or four other people who are interested in the same thing as you.
4.You should all sit down somewhere together with lots of pieces of paper and write down every name you can think up. That’ll keep you busy for ages.
At your first meeting you should make up a rule book. And the first rule should be no grown-ups or little/big brothers or sisters! The best clubs are always secret!
Now you have just about everything you need, except membership cards. These are very important and again you can speed a lot of time making them. 5.Why not leave some space for a photo of yourself? That will make the membership card really look like it.
So there you are, get clubbing! Once you get started you’ll think of loads of more interesting things to do!
A. That’s easy.
B. Enjoy your own club!
C. What are you interest in?
D. Invite a designer to join you.
E. Some vacation is just around the corner.
F. Then you need to pick a name for your club.
G. Use a bright thick pen to make a special design.
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The Japanese have a genius for dreaming up small, useful and fun machines. You must have used or at least heard of Sony’s walkman, Nintendo or Sega’s video games, and Bandai’s Tamagotchi. And how about karaoke, invented by Daisuke Inoue?
Daisuke, who? Not many people have heard of him, and he never made much money from his invention. But anyone who has ever experienced the thrill of singing karaoke in front of a crowd has Mr.Inoue to thank…
Daisuke Inoue is an easygoing man with a quick smile. He was born in the suburbs of Osaka in 1940. At Osaka Technical High School he took up the drums, because he says, “All you have to do is hit them.” Before long he was making money as a drummer in a Hawaiian band that played in the old dance-halls left behind by American soldiers.
By 1970, he and six partners were playing in the clubs of nearby Kobe, accompanying middle-aged businessmen who wanted to sing traditional Japanese country and even army songs. His friends, Inous says, could all read music and so they could pick up the latest tunes (曲调). He, on the other hand, had to rely on memory and play by following the lips of the singer as they moved. “Out of 108 club musicians in Kobe,” he says. “I was the worst! And the clients (顾客) in my club were the worst singers!”
One client, president of a small steel company, was especially fond of Inoue’s slow, follow-along style. It made the president’s bad, out-of–time singing sound much better. One evening he wanted Inoue to play for him on a trip to a hot spring resort (胜地). The boss wanted to sing Frank Nagai’s Leaving Haneda Airport on a 7:50 Flight for his friends. But Inoue was unable to leave his job.
To help out his most loyal client, he decided to provide him with a tape. Inoue wouldn’t be there, but the singer would still have his accompaniment. Karaoke was born.
1. Daisuke Inoue took up the drums at high school because _______.
A. they were his favorite musical instruments
B. he knew they would help him make money
C. he thought they were easy to learn
D. it was easy for a drummer to find a job
2. What does the underlined word “they” stand for?
A. His partner B. His friends C. The latest tunes D. The singer’s lips
3. From this passage we know Daisuke Inoue was ______.
A. an outstanding musician B. not quite good at music
C. a good singer and dancer D. good at inventing things
4. Why did the president like Inoue’s playing so much?
A. Because Inoue followed his singing.
B. Because Inoue played very well.
C. Because he had got used to Inoue’s fast, exciting style.
D. Because Inoue was an easy-going man with a quick smile.
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阅读下面短文，在空白处填入1个适当的单词或括号内单词的正确形式。
Are you crazy about traveling? Do you have the dream of 1. (go) around the world? Have you ever failed in starting your journey for the reason of time and money? Come on! Forget all your confusion and give yourself 2. opportunity to realize your dream! Let’s go on traveling between the lines, 3. will surely touch your soul!
We will guide you in seeking for the happy destination in the world which are seldom known to others. Though alone, you can enjoy your travel in 4. (silent) while thinking quietly. Being interested 5. life and the scenery of another country, so far the author 6. (travel) around the world and appreciated the unique beauty of those 7. (country) with his own mind from Japan to Nepal, from India to East Timor, from Cuba to Venezuela.
Following us, you will be 8. (amaze) at the wonderful scenery! After having taken many journeys, your dream of traveling around the world will surely come true. Most 9. (important), you should never miss any opportunity 10. (realize) your dream.