Researchers from the Institute for Human Ma succeeded in training a 165-pound human-like robot, called Atlas, to move across narrow blocks using a system called LIDAR.
At first sight, a robot walking across several blocks may look like a simple thing but many actions that humans can do easily are difficult for robots as heavy as Atlas.
Our joints （关节） and a natural balance system allow us to deal with different obstacles （障碍）easily. Besides, our small, narrow feet allow us to move around tight obstacles easily, or step over obstacles, while supporting ourselves.
With atlas, LIDAR uses a pulsed laser（脉冲激光器）to measure the distance between objects and this is done by the machine so it can step correctly on the blocks. It also builds a map of the area Atlas's going to travel across, and then uses a‘ path planning algorithm（算法）’to determine each step it should take. The robot is able to balance with its human-like feet and joints which give it ranges（范围）of movement.
Presently Atlas is successful with about half of its tests, according to IHMC, but the company is already working to increase that rate by improving the robot's balance and the range of movement in its joints.
Perhaps the most interesting setting for using human-like robots is outer space. The team say that when humans explore other planets, robots like Atlas could go before that to develop a habitat suitable for human beings to live in. But researchers believe they would be immediately useful in dangerous emergency situation. Their ability to walk on different types of land could make them perfect for searching a fallen building or an earthquake for people trapped, where a wheeled robot would get stuck.
1.Why is Atlas' weight mentioned?
A.To show the success of the research. B.To compare Atlas with other robots
C.To make readers interested in the topic. D.To tell how Atlas walks independently.
2.What does Atlas depend on to keep balance?
A.LIDAR. B.Its natural joints.
C.Narrow blocks. D.Its weight.
3.What can we learn about Atlas?
A.It can easily walk across different obstacles. B.It is still under improvement.
C.A pulsed laser decides each step it takes. D.It helps create a map of outer space.
4.What might Atlas do in the distant future?
A.Save lives in dangerous situations. B.Rebuild fallen houses
C.Forecast earthquake. D.Explore possible living space.
高一英语阅读选择中等难度题
Researchers from the Institute for Human Ma succeeded in training a 165-pound human-like robot, called Atlas, to move across narrow blocks using a system called LIDAR.
At first sight, a robot walking across several blocks may look like a simple thing but many actions that humans can do easily are difficult for robots as heavy as Atlas.
Our joints （关节） and a natural balance system allow us to deal with different obstacles （障碍）easily. Besides, our small, narrow feet allow us to move around tight obstacles easily, or step over obstacles, while supporting ourselves.
With atlas, LIDAR uses a pulsed laser（脉冲激光器）to measure the distance between objects and this is done by the machine so it can step correctly on the blocks. It also builds a map of the area Atlas's going to travel across, and then uses a‘ path planning algorithm（算法）’to determine each step it should take. The robot is able to balance with its human-like feet and joints which give it ranges（范围）of movement.
Presently Atlas is successful with about half of its tests, according to IHMC, but the company is already working to increase that rate by improving the robot's balance and the range of movement in its joints.
Perhaps the most interesting setting for using human-like robots is outer space. The team say that when humans explore other planets, robots like Atlas could go before that to develop a habitat suitable for human beings to live in. But researchers believe they would be immediately useful in dangerous emergency situation. Their ability to walk on different types of land could make them perfect for searching a fallen building or an earthquake for people trapped, where a wheeled robot would get stuck.
1.Why is Atlas' weight mentioned?
A.To show the success of the research. B.To compare Atlas with other robots
C.To make readers interested in the topic. D.To tell how Atlas walks independently.
2.What does Atlas depend on to keep balance?
A.LIDAR. B.Its natural joints.
C.Narrow blocks. D.Its weight.
3.What can we learn about Atlas?
A.It can easily walk across different obstacles. B.It is still under improvement.
C.A pulsed laser decides each step it takes. D.It helps create a map of outer space.
4.What might Atlas do in the distant future?
A.Save lives in dangerous situations. B.Rebuild fallen houses
C.Forecast earthquake. D.Explore possible living space.
高一英语阅读选择中等难度题查看答案及解析
The COVID-19 pandemic has spread far and wide. Because of this, countries around the world have implemented containment measures(实施遏制措施)to help stop the virus in its tracks. As more and more people stay inside to stay safe, the outside world seems to have become much quieter. In fact, scientists have seen this change in their research, too.
Seismologists–scientists who study earthquakes–have heard less seismic(地震的)noise recently. Seismic noise is made from vibrations(震动)in the ground that are caused by things like ocean waves and human activity, such as construction work and traffic. This noise makes it difficult for scientists to pick up seismic activity that is made at the same frequency.
Thomas Lecocq,a scientist at the Royal Observatory of Belgium, located in Brussels, was the first to notice this phenomenon.
According to Lecocq, the amount of seismic noise in Brussels has been reduced by about 30 to 50 percent since mid-March. Interestingly enough, this is around the same time Belgium started its containment measures.
Because of this reduction in background noise, scientists like Lecocq have been able to pick up on smaller earthquakes that some seismic stations–like the one in Brussels–wouldn’t have been able to before.
This phenomenon isn’t unique to Brussels, though. Once Lecocq shared his findings online, seismologists from all over the world echoed similar findings.
Celeste Labedz, a graduate student at the California Institute of Technology, mentioned in a tweet that Los Angeles also experienced less background noise.
Researchers from the UK, France and New Zealand also noted a decrease in background noise since containment measures were put in place.
These global efforts to contain the COVID-19 virus have helped to shed light on seismic activity that may have gone unnoticed. It also shows that people are listening to health officials and following lockdown guidelines.
“From the seismological point of view, we can motivate people to say,‘ You feel like you’re alone at home, but we can tell you that everyone is home.…Everyone is respecting the rules.’Lecocq told CNN.
1.What did seismologists find out recently?
A.More smaller earthquakes are likely to happen.
B.Less seismic activity has been detected recently.
C.Seismic noise is caused by vibrations underground.
D.Reduced seismic vibration makes Earth quieter.
2.What can we learn from Paragraphs 4-8?
A.More data on smaller earthquakes is being collected.
B.More seismic noise is being picked up.
C.Scientists will shift their focus to smaller earthquakes.
D.Future big earthquakes can be more accurately predicted.
3.The underlined word “echoed” in Paragraph 6 is closest in meaning to“______”.
A.questioned B.demanded C.explored D.repeated
4.What can we conclude from the text?
A.human activities cause more seismic noise than ocean waves.
B.The drop in seismic noise is unique to Europe.
C.The phenomenon proved that people are following the lockdown rules.
D.Many seismologists wanted tighter restrictions for their research.
高一英语阅读选择中等难度题查看答案及解析
How long could we live in the future?
Late last year, US researchers at the Buck Institute of Age Research gave a very exciting answer: 500 years.
Think about it. If that had been the case many years ago, a person could have lived from the Ming Dynasty until now.
But that idea was challenged by scientists at a recent medical conference in the UK, The Times reported.
Speaking at the conference, British neurobiologist (神经生物学家) Sir Colin Blakemore, 70, claimed there is a limit on how long humans can live, and how much the body can age. Instead of 500 years, 120 years “might be a real absolute limit to human lifespan (寿命)”, he said.
His estimate was based on current statistics (数据) and a look at medical effects.
The number of people living past 100 in the world has increased by 71 percent in the past decade, the Daily Mail reported. Blakemore agreed that this figure would continue to rise. But people living for longer than 120 years is “so rarely exceeded (超过)” that, even with medical and technological progress, it is unlikely that we can expect more than that, he said.
His claims contradict (与……矛盾) those made previously by researchers at the Buck Institute of Age Research in California.
In 2013, they changed two genetic (基因的) pathways in a tiny worm, and the creature lived life five times as long as a normal one. ①
If that technology could one day be used on human beings, it could extend (延长) human lives to 500 years, the Daily Mail reported. ②
But no matter which number is the ceiling (上限) for our lifespans, 120 or 500 years, it would take years for scientists to make that true for most people. ③
On Oct 21, the Gerontological Society of China published a report on centenarians (百岁老人) in China. There are 58,789 people above the age of 100 now in our country, with the oldest being 128 years old. ④
And by looking at these people’s lifestyles, the society worked out a recipe (秘诀) for a long life: outdoor activities, more communication with others, and a healthy diet containing lots of fruit, vegetables, and low-fat food.
So how long do you think you could live? If you play your part, your answer could be a satisfying one.
1.Which of the following statements does Sir Colin Blakemore agree with?
A.It’s impossible for humans to live past 120 years
B.It’s possible to expand humans’ lives to 500 years
C.More people are expected to live past 100 years
D.Chinese people live the healthiest way of life
2.The following sentence “We don’t have to completely rely on scientific breakthroughs to live a longer life, however.” can be placed in ________.
A.① B.②
C.③ D.④
3.According to the passage, people may not live longer if they ________.
A.take part in outdoor activities B.take in high-fat food
C.develop a healthy lifestyle D.talk with others more
4.What might be the best title of this passage?
A.Future lives “shortened” B.500 years, not a dream
C.120 years, the limit ceiling D.Future lives “extended”
高一英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析
Press your fingers into the back of your head, just above your neck. If you feel a small bony bump (突起), you may find evidence of human evolution (进化): it could be your body responding to common smartphone use in the 21st century.
According to a recent study, published in Scientific Reports, more young people have bony bumps at the base of their skulls, right above the neck. Medical professionals call them enlarged external occipital protuberances (EEOPs, 枕外隆突).
Australian health scientist David Shahar, the author of the study, told the BBC that he’s seen more and more patients with EEOPs over the past ten years. Together with other researchers from the University of the Sunshine Coast, Australia, they examined 1,200 skull x-rays from people aged 18–30. They also measured the bumps and noted each person’s posture. They found that one in four people had developed these growths. This led to their theory that smartphones are the cause.
According to their research, looking down at our phones adds stress onto the top of our spines (脊柱). To prevent damage to our spines, Shahar believes our bodies add fresh bony bump to help reduce the extra stress.
Most of the EEOPs measured just a few millimeters. However, several subjects were found with EEOPs as large as 30 mm.
In his report, Shahar said the results “highlighted the need” for prevention. In other words, we need to change our posture while using our phones.
Many people assume our bones are solid and unmoving once we reach adulthood. In reality, they are alive and covered with blood vessels(血管), which allows them to develop in unique ways for each person.
Aside from EEOPs, other noticeable recent changes in human bodies include shrinking jaws, narrower elbows and generally smaller skeletons. The human body is adapting to modern life, so who knows what people in the future might look like?
1.What did the recent study find about EEOPs?
A.They grow on one’s neck.
B.They can lead to many health problems.
C.They may stop growing when you reach 30.
D.They occur among more and more young people.
2.What is the main cause of EEOPs according to the researchers?
A.Extra stress. B.Aging bones.
C.Smartphone use. D.Gene problems.
3.Which of the following would Shahar probably agree with?
A.EEOPs increase the stress on our spines.
B.EEOPs are actually beneficial to our spines.
C.Young people’s bones adapt in similar ways.
D.Young people should exercise to improve their posture.
4.What’s the writing purpose of the text?
A.To persuade readers to protect their spines.
B.To explain why human bodies develop EEOPs.
C.To show some recent changes in human bodies.
D.To recommend some healthy habits of using phones.
高一英语阅读选择中等难度题查看答案及解析
People from East Asia tend to have more difficulty than those from Europe in distinguishing facial expressions — and a new report published online in Current Biology explains why.
Rachael Jack, University of Glasgow researcher, said that rather than scanning evenly(均匀的) across a face as Westerners do, Easterners fix their attention on the eyes.
“We show that Easterners and Westerners look at different face features to read facial expressions,” Jack said. “Westerners look at the eyes and the mouth in equal measure, whereas Easterners favor the eyes and neglect (忽略) the mouth.”
According to Jack and her colleagues, the discovery shows that human communication of emotion is more complex than previously believed. As a result, facial expressions that had been considered universally recognizable cannot be used to reliably convey emotion in cross-cultural situations.
The researchers studied cultural differences in the recognition of facial expressions by recording the eye movements of 13 Western Caucasian and 13 East Asian people while they observed pictures of expressive faces and put them into categories: happy, sad, surprised, fearful, disgusted, angry, or neutral. They compared how accurately participants read those facial expressions using their particular eye movement strategies.
It turned out that Easterners focused much greater attention on the eyes and made significantly more errors than did Westerners. “The cultural difference in eye movements that they show is probably a reflection of cultural difference in facial expressions,” Jack said. “Our data suggest that whereas Westerners use the whole face to convey emotion, Easterners use the eyes more and mouth less.”
In short, the data show that facial expressions are not universal signals of human emotion. From here on, examining how cultural factors have diversified these basic social skills will help our understanding of human emotion. Otherwise, when it comes to communicating emotions across cultures, Easterners and Westerners will find themselves lost in translation.
1.The discovery shows that Westerners _____________.
A.pay equal attention to the eyes and the mouth
B.consider facial expressions universally reliable
C.observe the eyes and the mouth in different ways
D.have more difficulty in recognizing facial expressions
2.What does the underlined word “they” in Paragraph 6 refer to?
A.The participants in the study. B.The researchers of the study.
C.The errors made during the study. D.The data collected from the study.
3.What can be the best title for the passage?
A.The Eye as the Window to the Soul
B.Cultural Differences in Reading Emotions
C.Effective Methods to Develop Social Skills
D.How to increase Cross-cultural Understanding
高一英语阅读选择中等难度题查看答案及解析
Human beings have used tools for a very long time. In some parts of the world you can still find tools that people used more than two million years ago. They made these tools by hitting one stone against another. In this way, they broke off pieces from one of the stones. These chips of stone were usually sharp on one side. People used them for cutting meat and skin from dead animals, and also for making other tools out of wood. Human beings needed to use tools because they did not have sharp teeth like other meat eating animals, such as lions and tigers. Tools helped people to get food more easily.
Working with tools also helped to develop human intelligence. The human brain grew bigger, and human beings began to invent more and more tools and machines. The stone chip was one of the first tools that people used, and perhaps it is the most important. Some scientists say that it was the key to success of mankind.
Since 1960 a new kind of tool has appeared. This is the silicon chip (硅芯片). It is smaller than a finger nail, but it can store lots of information. It is an electronic brain. Every year these chips get cleverer, but their size gets smaller, and their cost gets less. They are used in watches, calculators and intelligent machines that we can use in many ways. In the future we will not need to work with tools in the old way. Machines will do everything for us. People will have plenty of spare time. But what will they do with it?
Human beings used stone chips for more than two million years, but human life changed very little in that time. We have used silicon chips for only a few years, but life is changing faster every day. What will life be like twenty years from now? What will the world be like two million years from now?
1.From paragraph 1, we can know ________.
A.why early human beings cut skin from dead animals
B.how early human beings discovered the tools
C.what early human beings used the tools for
D.what food early human beings stored
2.The stone chip is thought to be the most important tool because it ________.
A.was very important to the development of mankind
B.led to the invention of machines in the early time
C.developed cooking abilities of mankind
D.was one of the first tools of mankind
3.The silicon chip is mentioned in the passage to ________.
A.show the changes of tools
B.introduce a new kind of tool
C.give an example of using tools
D.compare the effects of two kinds of tools
4.At the end of the passage the author seems to suggest that life in future is ________.
A.out of order B.less colorful
C.hard to predict D.full of meanings
高一英语阅读选择中等难度题查看答案及解析
Life in the Internet age is lonely—or is it? That's what experts in human interaction（交往）are debating（争论) after a new Stanford University survey has been published.
According to the study, the more time people spend online, the less they can spare for reallife relationships with family and friends. The researchers asked 113 people about the Web's influence on daily activities. 36% of those people are online for more than five hours a week. "As Internet use becomes more widespread, it will have an increasingly isolating(孤立的) effect on society," says Robert Kraut, one of the researchers.
Scholars (学者)and Web lovers criticized（批评）the study for stretching its data to make the "isolating" point. While 13% of regular Web users admitted the loss of time with loved ones, 60% reported watching less TV. The survey also shows that email is the most popular online activity. If some of webheads(网虫) spend what was once passive TV time keeping company with friends via emails, "that's a move towards greater connectedness," says Paul Resnick, a professor at the University of Michigan.
This isn't the first claim that the Web should be criticized. A 1998 report monitored 73 Pittsburgh-area families' Net use for a year. People who used the Internet more "talked less to family members and reported being lonelier and more depressed," says Robert Kraut.
"It's true that there have been big declines in social connectedness over the past decades, but those declines began before the Internet was invented," says Thomas Putnam.
As Amitay Etzioni says, the Internet gives us a different kind of social life—not better or worse than before, but just different.
1.Who claimed that the Web had negative influence?
A.Robert Kraut. B.Paul Resnick.
C.Thomas Putnam. D.Amitay Etzioni.
2.The underlined word "This" in Para. 4 refers to _______.
A.the study conducted by Stanford University
B.the survey made by the University of Michigan
C.the conclusion in a report written in 1998
D.the opinion expressed in Bowling Alone
3.From the passage we learn that _______.
A.watching TV used to take time away from staying online
B.36 % of Web users spend more than five hours a week online
C.the Web was blamed more than once for causing an isolating effect
D.the Web has the same influence as telephones and televisions
高一英语阅读选择中等难度题查看答案及解析
People have known for a long time that plants can hear, see, smell and communicate with each other. Now, they have been recorded making sounds when stressed.
In a study, Itzhak Khait and his team found that tomato and tobacco plants can make ultrasonic( 超声的 ) noises. The plant “cry out” due to lack of water, or when they are cut. The sound is just too high for human to hear.
Microphones were placed 10 centimeters away from the plants and picked up sounds in the range of 20 to 100,000 hertz( 赫兹). Human hearing usually ranges from 20 to 20,000 hertz. On average, “thirsty” tomato plants made 35 sounds an hour, while tobacco plants made 11. When plant was cut, tomato plants made an average of 25 sounds in the following hour, and tobacco plants 15.
Perhaps most interestingly, different types of stress led to different sounds. The researchers used a special machine to separate the plants’ sounds from those of wind, rain and other noises of the greenhouses. In most cases, it correctly told whether the stress was caused by dryness or a cut. Water-hungry tobacco made louder sounds than cut tobacco, for example. Although Khait and his team only looked at tomato and tobacco plants, they thought other plants also made sounds when stressed. Khait’s report also suggested that insects could hear the sound up to 5 meters away and respond.
The team said if farmers could hear these sounds, they could give plants the water they need. As climate change causes more droughts(干旱), they said this would be important information for farmers, for the sound that drought-stressed plants made could be used in agriculture.
If plants are screaming for fear of their survival, should we be thankful we can’t hear them?
1.Which did Khait and his team find from their research?
A.Only tomato plants could make ultrasonic noises.
B.Humans can hear plants crying while cutting them.
C.Plants were able to produce sounds when stressed.
D.Plants made ultrasonic noises to communicate with each other.
2.How did tomato and tobacco plants react to different stresses according to the text?
A.Cut tobacco plants made weaker sounds than drought-stressed ones.
B.Tomato plants reacted to different stresses with the same sound.
C.Cut tomato plants produced more sounds than water-hungry ones.
D.Tobacco plants made louder sounds than tomato plants when short of water.
3.What’s the main idea of Paragraph 5?
A.Farmers imagine what the future agriculture will be like.
B.Farmers have contributed a lot to the research.
C.Farmers can apply the result of the research to agriculture.
D.Farmers will face lots of challenges in the future.
4.Where is this text most likely from?
A.A nature magazine. B.A novel. C.A diary. D.A guidebook.
高一英语阅读选择简单题查看答案及解析
Glenn, born in 1921, grew up in Ohio. He started his flying career (生涯) as a fighter pilot for the US Marine Corps. He won medals for his brave service in World War II (1939-1945) and the Korean War (1950-1953). After that, Glenn took a dangerous job as a Marine Corps test pilot, flying new planes to see if they were safe. In 1957, he set an air-speed record by flying from Los Angeles to New York in less than three and a half hours.
In the late 1950s, a “space race” began between the US and the Soviet Union. Both countries wanted to be the first to send a human into space, including to the moon. In 1959,Glenn became one of the seven test pilots chosen to take part in the US’s first space program.
In 1961, the Soviet Union became the first nation to send a person into space. Glenn’s chance to go into space came on February 20, 1962. By that time, another American, Alan B. Shepard, had flown in space, but he had not circled the earth. Glenn’s flight was aired live on television and radio.
Glenn’s flight showed that the US space program was as good as the Soviet Union’s. He became a hero. Cities across the country threw parades (游行) for him, and President John F. Kennedy invited him to the White House.
In 1974, Glenn was elected to Congress. Glenn returned to space in 1998, when he was 77. He spent nine days on the space shuttle (航天飞机) Discovery. Glenn went so that scientists could study the effects of space travel on older people. He holds the record for being the oldest person in space.
“Glenn spent his life breaking barriers (障碍),” said President Barack Obama. The president also praised Glenn for inspiring future leaders in space exploration.
1.What did Glenn do in 1959?
A.He won gold medals. B.He took part in world wars.
C.He joined the US’s first space program. D.He flew from Los Angeles to New York.
2.Why was Glenn welcomed as a hero?
A.He started the race between the US and the Soviet Union.
B.He succeeded in circling the earth.
C.He defeated Alan B. Shepard in the competition.
D.He broke the speed record.
3.Why did Glen return to space in 1998?
A.To break a new record. B.To test a space shuttle.
C.To make his last space travel. D.To be tested by the scientists
4.From the last paragraph we can learn that ________.
A.Alan B. Shepard had circled the earth by 1962
B.Glenn has made great contributions to space exploration
C.the US is the first nation to send a human into space
D.Barack Obama called on people to explore space
高一英语阅读选择中等难度题查看答案及解析
Asthma (哮喘) and allergy (过敏) attacks have increased in the United States, despite the fact that our outdoor air quality has improved. Some researchers think these problems have increased because kids are spending too much time indoors.
When outdoors, we are exposed to different kinds of pollen (花粉) and dust. But when indoors, we are also exposed to allergens (过敏源) . Allergens cause allergies and most people know that allergens can make you sneeze, have runny eyes, and other cold-like symptoms (症状). But allergens can also lead to asthma attacks, which are more serious. Asthma symptoms include coughing, shortness of breath, especially during exercise and tightness in the chest. Allergic asthma affects about three million children (8 to 12 percent of all children) and seven million adults in the United States each year!
You can get rid of the allergens from your environment! Most children with asthma are allergic to something, so staying away from the allergen should help control the asthma. If you have asthma or allergies, stay away from animals, remove the teddy bears, rugs and curtains in rooms that you spend a lot of time in. Removal of dusty things can help you breathe more easily. If it's trees and pollen that affect you, air conditioning and air filters(空气过滤器) should help.
And research helps, too! Children whose parents, brothers or sisters have asthma are more likely to develop it themselves. But even though our genes do play some part in whether or not we'll have asthma, researchers hope to make the most progress in fighting the disease by looking at the environmental aspect (方面) of asthma. The hope is that if kids are exposed to fewer allergens early in life, they'll be less likely to develop allergic responses. Asthma research is performed at the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS) and at the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases(NIAID).
1.What makes asthma and allergy attacks increase in the United States?
A.Poor outdoor air quality. B.Not enough outdoor time.
C.Too much pollen and dust. D.The decrease of people's physical condition.
2.What can we know in the second paragraph?
A.Allergens in home environment can affect our health.
B.The number of allergens in the average home has decreased.
C.Asthma symptoms are the same as those of the common cold.
D.Allergens from outdoors are more dangerous than those in our homes.
3.What do we know from the passage?
A.Allergies are more serious than asthma.
B.People do not get asthma when they are outdoors.
C.We should stay away from allergens to help control asthma.
D.Children whose parents have asthma are certain to develop it.
4.Where can you most probably find this passage?
A.In a storybook. B.In a news report.
C.In a travel guide. D.In a health magazine.
高一英语阅读选择中等难度题查看答案及解析