Thirteen vehicles lined up last March to race across the Mojave Desert, seeking a million in prize money. To win, they had to finish the 142-mile race in less than 10 hours. Teams and watchers knew there might be no winner at all, because these vehicles were missing a key part -drivers.
DARPA, the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency, organized the race as part of a push to develop robotic vehicles for future battlefields. But the Grand Challenge, as it was called, just proved how difficult it is to get a car to speed across an unfamiliar desert without human guidance. One had its brake lock up in the starting area. Another began by throwing itself onto a wall. Another got tied up by bushes near the road after 1.9 miles.
One turned upside down. One took off in entirely the wrong direction and had to be disabled by remote control. One went a little more than a mile and rushed into a fence; another managed to go for six miles but stuck on a rock. The “winner,” if there was any; reached 7.8 miles before it ran into a long, narrow hole, and the front wheels caught on fire.
“You get a lot of respect for natural abilities of the living things,” says Reinhold Behringer, who helped design two of the car-size vehicles for a company called Sci-Autonics. “Even ants can do all these tasks effortlessly . It’s very hard for us to put these abilities into our machines.”
The robotic vehicles, though with necessary modern equipment such as advanced computers and GPS guidance, had trouble figuring out fast enough the blocks ahead that a two-year-old human recognizes immediately, Sure, that very young child, who has just only learned to walk, may not think to wipe apple juice off her face, but she already knows that when there’s a cookie in the kitchen she has to climb up the table, and that when she gets to the cookie it will taste good. She is more advanced, even months old, than any machine humans have designed.
1.Watchers doubted if any of the vehicles could finish the race because .
A.they did not have any human guidance
B.the road was not familiar to the drivers
C.the distance was too long for the vehicles
D.the prize money was unattractive to the drivers
2.DARPA organized the race in order to .
A.raise money for producing more robotic vehicles
B.push the development of vehicle industry
C.train more people to drive in the desert
D.improve the vehicles for future wars
3.From the passage we know “robotic vehicles” are a kind of machines that .
A.can do effortlessly whatever tasks living thing can
B.can take part in a race across 142 miles with a time limit
C.can show off their ability to turn themselves upside down
D.can move from place to place without being driven by human beings
4.In the race, the greatest distance one robotic vehicle covered was .
A.about eight miles B.six miles
C.almost two miles D.about one mile
5.In the last paragraph, the writer implies that there is a long way to go .
A.for a robotic vehicle to finish a 142-mile race without any difficulties
B.for a little child who has just learned to walk to reach the cookie on the table
C.for a robotic vehicle to deal with a simple problem that a little child can solve
D.for a little child to understand the importance of wiping apple juice off its face
高二英语阅读理解中等难度题
Thirteen vehicles lined up last March to race across the Mojave Desert, seeking a million in prize money. To win, they had to finish the 142-mile race in less than 10 hours. Teams and watchers knew there might be no winner at all, because these vehicles were missing a key part -drivers.
DARPA, the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency, organized the race as part of a push to develop robotic vehicles for future battlefields. But the Grand Challenge, as it was called, just proved how difficult it is to get a car to speed across an unfamiliar desert without human guidance. One had its brake lock up in the starting area. Another began by throwing itself onto a wall. Another got tied up by bushes near the road after 1.9 miles.
One turned upside down. One took off in entirely the wrong direction and had to be disabled by remote control. One went a little more than a mile and rushed into a fence; another managed to go for six miles but stuck on a rock. The “winner,” if there was any; reached 7.8 miles before it ran into a long, narrow hole, and the front wheels caught on fire.
“You get a lot of respect for natural abilities of the living things,” says Reinhold Behringer, who helped design two of the car-size vehicles for a company called Sci-Autonics. “Even ants can do all these tasks effortlessly . It’s very hard for us to put these abilities into our machines.”
The robotic vehicles, though with necessary modern equipment such as advanced computers and GPS guidance, had trouble figuring out fast enough the blocks ahead that a two-year-old human recognizes immediately, Sure, that very young child, who has just only learned to walk, may not think to wipe apple juice off her face, but she already knows that when there’s a cookie in the kitchen she has to climb up the table, and that when she gets to the cookie it will taste good. She is more advanced, even months old, than any machine humans have designed.
1.Watchers doubted if any of the vehicles could finish the race because .
A.they did not have any human guidance
B.the road was not familiar to the drivers
C.the distance was too long for the vehicles
D.the prize money was unattractive to the drivers
2.DARPA organized the race in order to .
A.raise money for producing more robotic vehicles
B.push the development of vehicle industry
C.train more people to drive in the desert
D.improve the vehicles for future wars
3.From the passage we know “robotic vehicles” are a kind of machines that .
A.can do effortlessly whatever tasks living thing can
B.can take part in a race across 142 miles with a time limit
C.can show off their ability to turn themselves upside down
D.can move from place to place without being driven by human beings
4.In the race, the greatest distance one robotic vehicle covered was .
A.about eight miles B.six miles
C.almost two miles D.about one mile
5.In the last paragraph, the writer implies that there is a long way to go .
A.for a robotic vehicle to finish a 142-mile race without any difficulties
B.for a little child who has just learned to walk to reach the cookie on the table
C.for a robotic vehicle to deal with a simple problem that a little child can solve
D.for a little child to understand the importance of wiping apple juice off its face
高二英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析
The country has sent up three manned spacecraft, the most recent ___ at the end of last March.
A.has been launched B.being launched C.having been launched D.to be launched
高二英语单项填空中等难度题查看答案及解析
They would not allow him _______ across the enemy line.
A. to risk going B. risking to going C. for risk to go D. risk going
高二英语单项填空中等难度题查看答案及解析
British Summer Time runs from the last Sunday in March to the last Sunday in October. In the depths of winter the nights in the UK are anything from 15-19 hours long. Longer nights mean frost and fog are more likely to form.
Twice a year the clocks change, forward in the spring and then back again in the autumn. But why? It happens twice a year. We all change our clocks and watches by one hour. In the spring, we add an hour, and go onto what is called British Summer Time, while in the autumn, we do the reverse, and return to Greenwich Mean Time.
Why bother?
It’s all to do with saving the hours of daylight, and was started by a guy called William Willett, a London builder, who lived in Petts Wood in Kent. Basically, he figured that you could improve the population’s health and happiness by putting forward the clocks by twenty minutes every Sunday in April and do the opposite in September.
Economics
His idea was not taken up, even though a “Daylight Saving Bill” was introduced some five years before the outbreak of World War One. But once the war started, it was considered wise to economics, to promote greater efficiency in using daylight hours, and in the use of artificial lighting. And so in 1916, “Daylight Saving Time” was introduced. Even though most countries abandoned this after that war, some eventually decided that it was a good idea, and most of these nations began to keep it throughout the year.
Experiment
Since 1972, Britain has decided to go with Greenwich Mean Time in winter, and British Summer Time in Summer.
But back in 1968, Britain tried a four-year experiment by advancing time one hour ahead of GMT throughout the year.
But those living further north, particularly in Scotland, found it most unsatisfactory, with dark mornings for much of the year, and the experiment was dropped.
But the arguments go on …and on.
1.Why some countries decide to change the clocks after World War One?
A.To improve the people’s health and happiness.
B.To do a certain experiment
C.To save energy to develop economies.
D.All of the above.
2.What can you infer from the passage?
A.The idea of changing the clocks suffered disagreement.
B.The people in Scotland don’t change the clocks.
C.The idea was first thought of by an educator.
D.It’s unnecessary to change the clocks.
3.What is the real meaning of the last sentence of the passage?
A.Nobody in the UK likes the idea.
B.All things need arguments.
C.The British are fond of arguments.
D.Different views of the idea still exist.
高二英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析
We’ve all been there - when lining up at the supermarket checkout counter, the lines next to us always seem to be moving faster than the one we are standing in. Recently a report by The New York Times looked into the math and psychology of queuing. 1., either in a supermarket, a bank or anywhere else.
Study the customers
It’s important to know who the customers are. For example, if they are elderly people, they are more likely to move slower. 2.. For example, four bottles of the same milk will go faster than four different items.
3.
US mathematician Dan Meyer believes that a cart full of items doesn’t tell the whole story. “Every person needs a fixed amount of time to say hello, pay, say goodbye and leave,” he said. And that amount of time is about 4l seconds per person. 4..
This means if there are five people ahead of you, each with 10 items in their carts, the waiting time will be 355 seconds. But if there is only one person ahead of you, with 50 items in the cart, the waiting time is 191 seconds. You do the math.
Go left
According to US science writer Robert Samuel, around 90 percent of people are right-handed. 5. So heading to the left will give you a better chance of finding a faster line.
A. Be patient
B. Pick someone with a full cart
C. The items in their carts are also important
D. Each item in the cart only takes 3 seconds
E. It also gave tips on how to pick the fastest line
F. That means they will naturally choose lines on the right
G. How many people are ahead of you is one thing, and who they are is another
高二英语七选五简单题查看答案及解析
More and more cities across the world are experimenting with driverless vehicles on public streets. Two of the latest to conduct testing are Paris, France and Las Vegas, Nevada. The cities have used self-driving electric buses to carry passengers on short rides to try out the technology and see how humans react to it.
In Paris, two buses have been transporting passengers across a bridge between two of the city’s busiest rail stations. The vehicles, built by French company EasyMile, travel in a special safety lane created for the project. The fully electric buses can carry up to 10 people. The testing in Paris is expected to last three months. If things go well, officials plan to launch more driverless bus lines later this year.
Jean-louis Missika, deputy mayor of Paris, told reporters at a recent launch event that driveless vehicles represent a “revolution” happening in many cities around the world. He said self-driving technology is set to “change our city environment and public space in an astonishing fashion over the next 20 years”.
Transportation officials say they are planning to use the bus to connect neighborhoods to rail stations around Paris. They will also help ease traffic crowding and reduce severe pollution in the city.
In Las Vegas, the city recently launched the first driverless shuttle bus in the United States. The 12-passenger bus from French company Navya has no steering wheel or brake pedals. It uses cameras and sensors to avoid other vehicles and people while making its way down city streets. The electric vehicles can reach a top speed of 40 kilometers per hour.
The bus operated for a two-week period along one of the busiest entertainment areas in Las Vegas. Rides during the shuttle experiment were free. “The ride was smooth. It's clean and quiet and the seats are comfortable,” said Las Vegas Mayor Carolyn Goodman after taking a ride.
1.What is the text mainly about?
A.More cities are using driveless vehicles.
B.Driveless electric buses are tested in some cities.
C.Some cities are trying out a new technology.
D.The driveless buses will reduce severe pollution.
2.What can we learn from the second paragraph?
A.The bridge connects the Paris’ busiest bus stations.
B.A special safety lane was built to test the self-driving buses.
C.The fully electric buses can hold over 10 people.
D.More driverless bus lines have been set up.
3.What does the driverless shuttle bus use to avoid other vehicles and people?
A.Steering wheel. B.Brake pedals.
C.Alarm. D.Cameras and sensors.
4.In which column of a newspaper can we read this passage?
A.Technology. B.Entertainment.
C.Culture. D.Education.
高二英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析
Water and its importance to human life were the centre of the world’s attention last week. March 22 was World Water Day and 36 the theme “Water for Life”.
There are more than one billion people in the world who live without 37 drinking water. The United Nations 38 to cut this number in half by 2015.
Solving such a big problem seems like a(n) 39 challenge. But everyone, 40 teenagers, can do something to help. A teenage girl in the US has set an example to the 41 of her age around the world.
Rene Haggerty, 13, was awarded the 2004 Gloria Barron Prize for her work— 42 discarded(废弃的) batteries(电池)which pollute water.
In 2003, Haggerty went on a field trip to the Great Lakes Science Centre in Ohio. There she saw an exhibit about how 43 in old batteries harm the water of Lake Erie.
Haggerty learnt that 44 the batteries was an easy solution. “I think everybody can do it, because everyone 45 batteries, and it can make a big difference.” With these words, she began to 46 awareness in her area.
She 47 her county government and school board. She got permission to start a recycling programme in schools 48 the public library, hospital, and churches. With the help from her family, friends and local waste-management 49 , she gathered containers, arranged transportation, and made a(n) 50 video.
Over the past two years, she collected four tons of batteries and drew the attention of officials, who were in charge of a battery recycling programme but had made 51 progress.
When asked 52 she feels like a hero, Haggerty is quite __53 . “Not really. Well, maybe for the fish I saved!”
Every year the Gloria Barron Prize is 54 to young Americans aged 8 to 18 who have shown leadership and courage in 55 the public and the planet. Each year ten winners receive US $ 2,000 each, to help with their education costs or their public service work.
1... A. had B. gave C. wrote D. discussed
2.. A. enough B. safe C. much D. polluted
3... A. asks B. orders C. hopes D. ensures
4... A. good B. strong C. important D. unreal
5.. A. especially B. sometimes C. even D. seldom
6.. A. boys B. others C. students D. grown-ups
7.. A. collecting B. selling C. buying D. using
8.. A. things B. chemicals C. water D. air
9.. A. making B. recycling C. reducing D. handling
10... A. uses B. has C. throws D. needs
11... A. tell B. increase C. spread D. inform
12... A. talked to B. listened to C. heard from D. thought about
13... A. and B. besides C. as well as D. as good as
14... A. officials B. workers C. clerks D. experts
15.. A. industrial B. agricultural C. scientific D. educational
16... A. much B. no C. some D. little
17.. A. if B. how C. when D. why
18.. A. proud B. glad C. modest D. worried
19..A. praises B. helps C. supports D. honors
20.. A. awarding B. saving C. serving D. favoring
高二英语完型填空简单题查看答案及解析
Water and its importance to human life were the centre of the world’s attention last week. March 22 was World Water Day and 36 the theme “Water for Life”.
There are more than one billion people in the world who live without 37 drinking water. The United Nations 38 to cut this number in half by 2015.
Solving such a big problem seems like a(n) 39 challenge. But everyone, 40 teenagers, can do something to help. A teenage girl in the US has set an example to the 41of her age around the world.
Rene Haggerty, 13, was awarded the 2004 Gloria Barron Prize for her work— 42 discarded(废弃的) batteries(电池)which pollute water.
In 2003, Haggerty went on a field trip to the Great Lakes Science Centre in Ohio. There she saw an exhibit about how 43 in old batteries harm the water of Lake Erie.
Haggerty learnt that 44 the batteries was an easy solution. “I think everybody can do it, because everyone 45 batteries, and it can make a big difference.” With these words, she began to 46 awareness in her area.
She 47 her county government and school board. She got permission to start a recycling programme in schools 48 the public library, hospital, and churches. With help from her family, friends and local waste-management 49 , she gathered containers, arranged transportation, and made a(n) 50 video.
Over the past two years, she collected four tons of batteries and drew the attention of officials, who were in charge of a battery recycling programme but had made 51 progress.
When asked 52 she feels like a hero, Haggerty is quite ____53. “Not really. Well, maybe for the fish I saved!”
Every year the Gloria Barron Prize 54 young Americans aged 8 to 18 who have shown leadership and courage in 55 the public and the planet. Each year ten winners receive US $ 2,000 each, to help with their education costs or their public service work.
1. A.had B.gave C.wrote D.discussed
2. A.enough B.safe C.much D.polluted
3. A.asks B.orders C.hopes D.ensures
4. A.good B.strong C.important D.unreal
5. A.especially B.sometimes C.even D.seldom
6. A.boys B.others C.students D.grown-ups
7. A.collecting B.selling C.buying D.using
8. A.things B.chemicals C.water D.air
9. A.making B.recycling C.reducing D.handling
10. A.uses B.has C.throws D.needs
11. A.tell B.increase C.spread D.inform
12. A.talked to B.listened to C.heard from D.thought about
13. A.and B.beside C.as well as D.as good as
14. A.officials B.workers C.clerks D.experts
15. A.industrial B.agricultural C.scientific D.educational
16. A.much B.no C.some D.little
17. A.if B.how C.when D.why
18. A.proud B.glad C.modest D.worried
19. A.praises B.helps C.supports D.honors
20. A.awarding B.saving C.serving D.favoring
高二英语完型填空中等难度题查看答案及解析
Many students signed up for the _________ race in the sports meeting to be held next week.
A. 800-metre-long B. 800-metres-long
C. 800 meter length D. 800 meters length
高二英语单项填空简单题查看答案及解析
"Barefoot Mike" gets a lot of attention when he shows up at the beginning of a race. He loves to run and has been running since he was a kid. He loves to race, and often competes in 10K races. But that’s not the reason he gets so much attention. People notice him because when he runs, “Barefoot Mike” runs barefoot.
Running barefoot has become a huge trend in the world of running. “I didn't set out to be a trend setter,” laughed
“Barefoot Mike”, otherwise known as Mike Whitaker. “I've always been a runner, but until a few years ago, I always wore shoes. Then one day I was running after a rainstorm. I stepped off into the grass to avoid a puddle(水坑) on the sidewalk, and accidentally stepped into a huge muddy puddle that had been hidden in the grass. I tried to keep running, but the wet and dirty shoe made it really hard. I figured the best solution was to just get rid of the shoes.”
Mike took off his shoes and dropped them into the nearest trash can. “Then I started running. At first I went really slowly because I was watching out for rocks or other things that could hurt my feet, but there really weren't any problems.” He started going faster. “It felt so good!” Mike said. “My knee, which always ached, didn't ache. My foot was able to spread out so I had better balance. And my feet didn't feel all hot and sweaty. It was awesome!”
“There are actually potential health benefits to running barefoot,” said Dr. Nancy Bower, a podiatrist(足科医师).
A recent study agrees. A team of researchers recently videotaped several people running —first wearing shoes and then barefoot. In almost every case, when wearing shoes, the runners tended to land on the heel of their foot, which they call “heelstriking.” Many runners have impact injuries such as knee pain. Heelstriking may be the cause of these injuries or may make an existing injury worse.
When running barefoot, the runners tended to land on the middle part of the foot. The force is spread out throughout the foot. The ankle, shin(胫部), knee and hip don't get the shock of a hard landing with every step.
1.Why does Mike receive a lot of attention while running?
A. Because he runs very fast.
B. Because he loses his shoes.
C. Because he wears no shoes.
D. Because he wears strange clothes.
2.According to Paragraph 2, why did Mike run barefoot years ago?
A. He liked running barefoot.
B. He was advised to run barefoot.
C. His shoe became very uncomfortable.
D. His dream of becoming famous motivated him.
3.After running barefoot for a while a few years ago, Mike ________.
A. was very tired
B. was badly hurt
C. gave up running
D. felt unexpectedly great
4.According to the recent study, heelstriking ________.
A. is bad for one's health
B. is caused by existing injuries
C. happens when one runs barefoot
D. can be avoided by wearing sports shoes.
高二英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析