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Implanted (植入的) devices, such as heart pacemakers, are a valuable part of modern medicine. Their use, however, is limited by the need to renew their batteries and this is a particular problem for those inside the wearer’s head. Therefore, a way to power such implants without replacing their batteries at all would thus be welcome. And Dr Hyuck Choo and his colleagues think they have one. They plan to collect the necessary energy from the vibrations(震动) that occur when someone is talking.
DrChoo’s power plants are small sheets of lead zirconate titanate, a material that produces electricity when it vibrates. He knew that sheets of the size he chose have a resonance (共振) at around 690Hz. This is well above the normal range of the human voice. Using larger sheets would lower the resonance frequency. So he sought to lower a sheet's resonance frequency without increasing its area by caring a special shape out of it. And it worked!
When Dr Choo and his colleagues tested the carved sheets by exposing them to a range of frequencies and monitoring the amount of electricity generated, they found that the voltage was between 100Hz and 120Hz (approximately the common frequencies of adult male vices), and also between 200Hz and 250Hz (the female voice s common frequencies). And, although the amount of power produced is not huge, it seems adequate for the task.
As Dr Choo reported at a conference on January 26, he and his team were able to harvest a tenth of a mill watt per square centimetre of lead zirconate titanate from the voice of a man talking at 70 decibels (分贝), which is normal speaking volume, and tents from someone shouting at 100 decibels Implants usually require a tenth of a mill watt or less to function so this suggests a practical device might be within reach-especially as the vibrations produced by the voice travel efficiently up through the skull, meaning the generator could be put into an implant.
1.What limits the use of implanted devices?
A.The shape of the devices. B.The effect of the vibrations.
C.The need for continuous power. D.The difficulty in producing the battery
2.What problem did Dr Choo have to solve in Paragraph 2?
A.To renew the batteries of the implants.
B.To make the resonance above the human voice.
C.To pick out suitable material for his power plants.
D.To ensure the resonance of the sheets fit in with the human voice.
3.What does “the task” in Paragraph 3 refer to?
A.Exposing the sheet to sounds. B.Powering the implanted devices.
C.Lowering a sheet's resonance frequency. D.Monitoring the electricity produced.
4.What can we learn from the last paragraph?
A.The voice powered device is likely to be available.
B.A man has to shout loudly when using the device.
C.The device will be put into production after the conference.
D.The generator should be put into the skull when used.
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More companies and recyclers are taking steps to ensure that old electronic devices such as TVs and computers aren’t sent to poor countries.
The Basel Action Network, a Seattle-based non-profit that largely exposed the overseas discarding (丢弃) of US electronic waste, on Thursday launched a programme to use third-party employees to certify (证实) recyclers who don’t export dangerous electronic waste.
The so-called e-Steward recyclers will also agree not to discard the waste in US landfills and agree to meet other criteria. The certification is intended to provide companies and consumers with some assurance that the waste, which can include toxins (毒素) such as lead and mercury, is disposed of safely.
The Government Accountability Office, in a 2008 report, declared that US electronic waste was often disposed of unsafely in such countries as India. There, workers recycle gold, silver and copper from the waste, often in open-air acid baths.
The Basel Network also says it won assurances from 13 organizations, including Samsung, Bank of America, Wells Far-go, that they’ll use e-Steward recyclers whenever possible. Wells Fargo had already been using recyclers who declared not to export. So far, Basel has certified three recyclers and seven sites.
Before e-stewards, even, companies that wanted to avoid export of electronic waste had to “hope for the best”, when, they handed their waste to recyclers, says Robert Houghton, president of Ohio-based recycler Redemtech. It is an e-Steward that counts major companies among its customers. “Now, they can get some proof,” Houghton says.
Basel’s standards compete with another set launched in January. It was made by industry and backed by the Environmental Protection Agency.
That standard, called R-2, doesn’t ban the export of dangerous electronic waste but requires that it be handled safely. Instead of a ban, the Institute of Scrap Recycling Industries says, efforts should be made to help poor countries develop safe recycling.
1.How were most electronic wastes dealt with before?
A. They were thrown into US landfills.
B. They were buried in the desert m die US.
C. They were exported to poor countries.
D. They were reused by families in poor countries.
2.E-Steward recyclers, main job is probably to ________.
A. prevent old devices from open-air acid baths
B. dispose of electronic waste safely
C. collect more electronic waste for profits
D. assure America’s leading rule in the electronic market
3.People in India import electronic waste to ________.
A. get rid of toxins B. learn how to make devices
C. recycle valuable metals D. make cheaper products
4.The passage is mainly about ________.
A. how to deal with old electronic products
B. the development of recycling in the world
C. how to fight against electronic pollution
D. safer treatment of electronic waste
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The design of everyday _________such as cups and tables is based on both practical and aesthetic values.
A. issues B. regulations
C. fountains D. objects
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COVID-19(新冠病毒) is a threat to the very people fighting it-nurses, doctors, and other first responders, who are exposed to infected patients. Now, a team has developed two devices(设备) that could reduce their risks by sucking away infectious bacteria: a helmet to be worn by a patient,and a small tent in which a patient could be protected. The inventors hope they'll reduce the deaths among healthcare workers.
Negative-pressure rooms have been used in hospitals since the 1980s to keep airborne bacteria from spreading.But Nathan Haas says such rooms cost about$12,000. He and his colleagues wanted to develop a cheaper way to create a negative pressure environment for patients.The new devices could lower the need for negative-pressure rooms,which are rare in many parts of the world,according to Haas.
The helmet can be used when staff transport patients and the tent can protect the upper body of a bed-bound patient wearing a mask,allowing staff to perform several procedures.
“They represent a really simple solution to potentially helping reduce virus spread and increase the safety of healthcare workers, as well as patient safety,” says Ben Bassin.
When the researchers tested their devices with a healthy volunteer,they saw 97% to 99%fewer bacteria outside the devices than inside.They also tested the devices' ease of use and comfort with seven COVID-19 patients.The response from patients and staff was good, Bassin says.
But Reuben Strayer notes the tests did not prove that these devices work to protect medical staff in real-life situations. He says he wants to see independent effect, “to see if they perform as they are advertised.”
1.The following statements are true EXCEPT
A.The devices are not complicated to use
B.People have already used the devices widely
C.The effect of the devices remains to be seen
D.Negative-pressure rooms are not common because of the high cost
2.What will most probably be discussed in the following paragraph?
A.The advantages of the devices. B.Different appearances of the devices.
C.Measures to put the devices into practice. D.The reasons for inventing the devices.
3.What is the author's purpose in writing the text?
A.To inform readers of the devices. B.To praise the efforts of the researchers.
C.To stress the importance of the devices. D.To encourage people to buy the devices.
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Tablets（平板电脑） are useful devices, but their big screens always make them as a burden to carry around without a bag. Wouldn’t it be great if there were a phone with the powers of a tablet that could be folded up and fit neatly into the hand? Now something like a tablet-shaped but foldable（可折叠的） phone is about to become available. In February, Samsung and Huawei both introduced foldable phones, the Galaxy Fold and Huawei Mate X separately, to the public for the first time. Mobile phone use has entered the “foldable future”, the Verge noted.
The technology could change our lives in significant ways. These devices, due to their bendable screens, give us the larger screens we want but still fit easily into the pocket. The technology could change other devices too. For example, we could make TVs that stick to walls like posters, or fold up easily to hide away in drawers, which could help increase available space to the maximum. In a keynote address, Justin Denison, Samsung’s senior vice president, called the foldable screen “the basis for the smartphone of tomorrow”. “It’s a blank canvas (画布) for us to do something beautiful together,” he said.
So is there nothing to stand in the way of the foldable future? According to tech news website Android Authority, the necessary displays were difficult to produce. In 2012, nine out of ten foldable screens produced were defective or unusable. Today, that 10 percent rate has been improved to almost 90 percent. However, at present these foldable devices are expensive. For example, the price of Huawei Mate X is 17, 500 RMB. That's a price that few people will be able to afford.
But if the foldable device isn’t going to change the world overnight, there is no doubt that it is coming. Patrick Moorhead, an industry expert told The Verge, “Few are debating if foldable mobile displays are the future of smartphones; the only question is when and by whom.”
1.What do we know about foldable devices?
A.They are too big to fit into the pocket.
B.They could bring us much convenience.
C.They have become available in January.
D.They are a burden to carry around without a bag.
2.What can we learn from Denison’s words?
A.The foldable screen has great potential.
B.The technology could change other devices too.
C.There must be many problems with the technology.
D.The production of foldable phones will soon decrease.
3.What does the underlined word in Paragraph 3 mean?
A.complete B.proper
C.imperfect D.normal
4.What can be a suitable title for the text?
A.Types of foldable phones.
B.The coming of foldable devices.
C.Popular devices on the market.
D.Difficulties in producing foldable phones.
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Is it to control their body temperature? Save energy? Find food? Tiger sharks at the Ningaloo Reef are thought to search the seafloor for prey as they dive down and swim up. But could there be other reasons why the sharks often move up and down through the water column?
That’s what UWA student Sammy is hoping to find out for her Ph.D. research. Sammy caught 24 tiger sharks at the Ningaloo Reef and attached tracking devices to them for up to 48 hours. The devices recorded activity rates and other data 20 times a second. The tags also contained video cameras, so Sammy could see the habitats the sharks moved through and the animals they met. She watched how the sharks reacted to prey and how the prey reacted to them.
Tiger sharks can be pretty lazy — something as simple as a turtle noticing a shark and turning away could cause the shark not to bother hunting it.
“Stomach content analysis has found their normal prey items, such as turtles, rays and fish,” Sammy said. “But have also found some really interesting things, such as license plates, cans and nails.”
Sammy said that studying tiger sharks can help her better understand the ecosystem as a whole. How they move through the Ningaloo Reef and feed can help her figure out how they might be impacting the animals beneath them in the food chain.
But hours of watching tiger sharks hunt hasn’t put Sammy off the animals at all. She said her time tagging sharks at the Ningaloo Reef was the best month of her Ph.D., if not her life. “At first, I was a bit apprehensive about it ... getting that close to some very big animals,” Sammy said. “But they were very frightened once you had them restrained alongside the boat. They’d just sit there; you’d attach the tag; you’d take the line off and they’d just swim off really calmly. It was pretty amazing to see these. They’re just absolutely beautiful animals.”
1.What can be the function of the first paragraph?
A.To give an example. B.To introduce the topic.
C.To make a comparison. D.To provide the background.
2.What does Sammy want to know through her research?
A.Why tiger sharks swim up and down. B.What tiger sharks like to hunt and eat.
C.How tiger sharks react in front of humans. D.Whether tiger sharks are endangered or not.
3.What can be inferred from the stomach content analysis?
A.Tiger sharks live happily in the sea. B.Tiger sharks are sensitive to some food.
C.Tiger sharks are lazier than expected. D.Tiger sharks have a very broad diet.
4.What does the underlined word “apprehensive” in the last paragraph mean?
A.Careless. B.Curious. C.Fearful. D.Cautious.
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Sony has a new device for anyone who's ever wished they could carry their air conditioner on hot summer days.
Called Reon Pocket, the small, lightweight machine slides into the upper back pocket of a specially designed T-shirt. Controlled with a smart phone app, it's capable of heating or cooling the wearer via the Peltier effect, a thermodynamic (热力学) principle widely used in refrigeration.
The Reon Pocket comes out of Sony’ s startup acceleration program, and Sony is currently crowdfunding (众筹) the device. Supporters can choose from a few different packages, if they want multiple T-shirts for instance, but a basic one including the device and one shirt costs ￥14, 080. There's a catch, though: Sony only has plans to release the Reon Pocket in Japan at present.
The target audience is mostly businessmen who have to wear a suit in the summer, though the company says it will judge its wider relevance based on the crowdfunding results. Right now, though, the T-shirts available come in men's sizes, small, medium, or large.
The device is not really for all- day use so much as moving between air-conditioned or heated areas, such as travelling to work. The battery takes around two hours to charge and lasts about 90 minutes.
In a blog post from Sony's startup accelerator, Yoichi Ito, a project leader on Reon Pocket, said his team started thinking of ways to combine technology with fashion. Reon Pocket was the result. Japanese buyers looking to battle the record heat this summer will have to wait, though. If the crowdfunding is successful, deliveries of the device are scheduled to begin in July 2020.
1.Which of the following can be used to describe the new device?
A.Portable. B.Widely- used. C.Plain. D.Energy- saving.
2.What does the underlined word “packages” in Paragraph 3 refer to?
A.Sets of T-shirts. B.Sets of programs. C.Sets of services. D.Sets of items.
3.What can we infer about the new device from the passage?
A.Only businessmen can have free access to it. B.The fundraising affects its popularization.
C.Its special design makes it sell well in Japan. D.It can be rechargeable with a long life battery.
4.What's the author's purpose of writing the text?
A.To popularize modern conveniences. B.To combine technology and fashion.
C.To introduce a new electric device. D.To raise money for a good cause.
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Would you carry around an electronic ID, not in your pocket, but in your body? Does this idea scare you or make you feel safe?
The first computer ID chip(芯片) that could be planted under a person’s skin might be marketed very soon.
Developed by Applied Digital, an American technology company based in Florida, the device(发明物) could meet the need for public security(安全) after the September 11 attacks.
For airports, nuclear power plants(核电站) and other high security facilities, the immediate effects are obvious.
The technology could help put an end to false ID cards, because it would be difficult to remove and copy a tiny computer chip. The chip is as small as a grain of rice.
The technology would also allow satellites to track a person’s every movement and store medical records.
These uses are already attracting interest for tasks like fighting against kidnappings(绑架), or helping with medical operations.
But some people are afraid of the loss of privacy(隐私).
“You always have to think about what the device could be used for tomorrow,” said Lee Tien, a senior privacy lawyer in the United States.
“At first a device is used for applications we all agree are good, but then it slowly starts being used for more than it was intended,” he said.
However, Applied Digital says it will soon apply for government permission for the device. It says that the first people to use the chip will be volunteers.
Getting the implant(需移植的芯片) would go something like this:
A person or company buys the chip from Applied Digital for about US $ 200. And the company encodes(编码) it with the desired information.
The customer then takes the chip to their doctor, who can plant it with a large needle.
The device has no power supply, rather it is activated(使活动, 使运行) by a scanner(扫描仪) running across the skin above it. Without a scanner, the chip cannot be read.
Even with the privacy concern, some are already eager to use the product.
Jell Jacobs from Florida hopes to become the first buyer of the chip to store his medical records. Suffering from a serious illness, he wants to make sure doctors can help him quickly.
Eight Latin American companies have also shown interests in the device. It could help to find any tourists who are kidnapped.
1.The best title for the passage is _______.
A.Why Is the New ID Necessary B.Getting a New Kind of ID Under Your Skin
C.An Advertisement for Chips D.Where to Buy the Chip
2.Which of the following is true according to the text?
A.In some airports and factories such device is already being used.
B.The information on the chip can be read when it has its power supply.
C.The technology could help put an end to false ID cards.
D.The first computer ID chip has already come into the market.
3.What is the advantage with the electronic ID according to the passage?
A.It can store people’s medical records and help with medical operations.
B.With this people will have no fear of losing privacy.
C.It’s cheap to buy and easy to get.
D.It is developed by Applied Digital in Florida.
4.What can we learn about Jeff Jacobs?
A.He’s a worker in Applied Digital, a company in Florida.
B.He’s a doctor who helps plant tile chips on people.
C.He fears if he uses the chip he will lose privacy.
D.He’s suffering from a serious illness and wants to buy the chip.
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Do you still remember your favorite poem during high school or some other important periods in your life? Why is it that decades later it still stands out in your mind? Probably the main reason is that some aspect of that poem resonates (产生共鸣) with you. In the same way, you too as a school leader can touch the hearts of your teachers and students.
Poetry allows us to experience strong spiritual connections to things around us and to the past. The power that poetry has displayed over time and across cultures actually satisfies this common need of the human heart and soul.
As one of the oldest art forms, poetry has successfully connected various parts of humanity (人性) from one generation to another. Referring to poetry, Hillyer makes a simple yet meaningful statement,“ With this key mankind unlocked his heart.”
School leaders can find and make use of the value of poetry for themselves, their students and their teachers. Beyond the simple use of poetry, techniques of poetry such as repetitions (重复) can be used to take advantage of the power of language to transform communication, create meaning and culture of care and attention.
Since schools are mainly about people and relationships, school leaders, like poets, are required to inspire and encourage the human heart. The use of poetry — or even of some techniques of poetry — in school leadership not only helps to improve communication, but also serves to meet the human need for inspiration.
1.Who is the passage mainly written for?
A.Students. B.Teachers.
C.School leaders. D.Poets.
2.The use of poetry or techniques of poetry in school leadership is in fact to make use of ______ .
A.the power of language
B.the power of school leaders
C.people’s preference for poetry
D.people’s desire for communication
3.What is the purpose of the passage?
A.To talk about the art of being a school leader.
B.To encourage school leaders to use the power of poetry in school leadership.
C.To explain how poetry can be used in our daily life.
D.To show readers that poetry is really powerful.
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It may surprise bookworms, but apparently masterpieces such as Jane Eyre are lacking in something — sound effects. An electronic-book firm is adding background noises and music to the works of Charlotte Bronte, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle and William Shakespeare in the hope of attracting younger readers. In one example, a description of rain lashing against a window in a Sherlock Holmes story will be “enhanced” with matching noises.
The first multimedia e-books — with sounds to accompany novels — will be available this Friday in the UK. The Booktrack releases are available to iPad users, with other tablet computer versions to follow. The concept is already in use in the U.S., where the classics come with added sound effects. Readers for example can hear the china cups chinking in Mr. Darcy’s garden as they read Pride And Prejudice.
A story by Booker Prize winner Salman Rushdie will be released later in the year with a specially crafted orchestral score. Rushdie’s story In The South will be released with a soundtrack provided by the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra.
The Power Of Six by Pittacus Lore, a novel for young adults, is one of the first to be tested with a soundtrack which builds in suspense in keeping with the plot. It works by timing the speed of each reader and the software measures the “turning” of a page and moves the music or sounds along accordingly. It has been created by Booktrack which synchronizes (使同步) music to each novel. It is funded by Peter Thiel, a co-founder of PayPal.
Mr. Thiel said, “It’s always exciting to witness the creation of a new form of media. The technology promises to captivate readers in a different way.”
However, they have been greeted with horror by traditionalists, who say the technology takes away the pleasure of having one’s imagination stimulated by a story. They also raise the prospect (预期) of having to ask an overly eager reader to turn their book down. David Nicholls, whose bestseller One Day was recently turned into a film starring Anne Hathaway, said, “This sounds like the opposite of reading. It would be a distraction.”
1.What’s the purpose of the electronic-book firm adding sound effects to masterpieces?
A. To add some creative factors to the e-books.
B. To arouse interest of the readers.
C. To satisfy the readers’ great need.
D. To promote the technology progress.
2.Where was the idea that sounds are added to accompany novels first put forward?
A. Britain. B. Australia.
C. New Zealand. D. America.
3. The following should be done to make a soundtrack work, EXCEPT _________.
A. measuring how long each reader spends in reading
B. increasing the volume of the music or sounds
C. making out the reading speed
D. changing the music or sounds with pages turned
4. What’s Mr. Thiel’ attitude to the future of the new form of media?
A. Doubtful. B. Indifferent.
C. Hopeful. D. Pessimistic.