PITTSBURGH — For most people, snakes seem unpleasant or even threatening. But Howie Choset sees in their delicate movements a way to save lives.
The 37-year-old Carnegie Mellon University professor has spent years developing snake-like robots he hopes will eventually slide through fallen buildings in search of victims trapped after natural disasters or other emergencies.
Dan Kara is president of Robotics Trends, a Northboro, mass-based company that publishes an online industry magazine and runs robotics trade shows. He said there are other snake-like robots being developed, mainly at universities, but didn't know of one that could climb pipes.
The Carnegie Mellon machines are designed to carry cameras and electronic sensors and can be controlled with a joystick (操纵杆). They move smoothly with the help of small electric motors, or servos, commonly used by hobbyists in model airplanes.
Built from lightweight materials, the robots are about the size of a human arm or smaller. They can sense which way is up, but are only as good as their human operators, Choset added.
Sam Stover, a search term manager with the Federal Emergency Management Agency based in Indiana, said snake-type robots would offer greater mobility than equipment currently available, such as cameras attached to extendable roles.
"It just allows us to do something we've not been able to do before," Stover said, "We needed them yesterday."
He said sniffer dogs are still the best search tool for rescue workers, but that they can only be used effectively when workers have access to damaged building.
Stover, among the rescue workers who handled the aftermath (后果) of Hurricane Katrina, said snake robots would have helped rescuers search flooded houses in that disaster.
Choset said the robots may not be ready for use for another five to ten years, depending on funding.
1.Which institution is responsible for the development of Choset's robots?
A. Robotics Trends. B. Pittsburgh City Council.
C. Carnegie Mellon University. D. Federal Emergency Management Agency.
2.Choset believes that his invention _________.
A. can be attached to an electronic arm
B. can be used by hobbyists in model airplanes
C. can find victims more quickly than a sniffer dog
D. can sense its way as well as its operators
3.By saying "We needed them yesterday" (paragraph 7), Stover means that snake-like robots ________.
A. could help handle the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina
B. should have been put to use in past rescue work
C. helped rescuers search flooded houses yesterday
D. were in greater need yesterday than today
4.What is the text mainly about?
A. Snake-like robots used in industries.
B. Snake-like robots made to aid in rescues.
C. The development of snake-like robots.
D. The working principles of snake-like robots.
高二英语阅读理解中等难度题
PITTSBURGH — For most people, snakes seem unpleasant or even threatening. But Howie Choset sees in their delicate movements a way to save lives.
The 37-year-old Carnegie Mellon University professor has spent years developing snake-like robots he hopes will eventually slide through fallen buildings in search of victims trapped after natural disasters or other emergencies.
Dan Kara is president of Robotics Trends, a Northboro, mass-based company that publishes an online industry magazine and runs robotics trade shows. He said there are other snake-like robots being developed, mainly at universities, but didn't know of one that could climb pipes.
The Carnegie Mellon machines are designed to carry cameras and electronic sensors and can be controlled with a joystick (操纵杆). They move smoothly with the help of small electric motors, or servos, commonly used by hobbyists in model airplanes.
Built from lightweight materials, the robots are about the size of a human arm or smaller. They can sense which way is up, but are only as good as their human operators, Choset added.
Sam Stover, a search term manager with the Federal Emergency Management Agency based in Indiana, said snake-type robots would offer greater mobility than equipment currently available, such as cameras attached to extendable roles.
"It just allows us to do something we've not been able to do before," Stover said, "We needed them yesterday."
He said sniffer dogs are still the best search tool for rescue workers, but that they can only be used effectively when workers have access to damaged building.
Stover, among the rescue workers who handled the aftermath (后果) of Hurricane Katrina, said snake robots would have helped rescuers search flooded houses in that disaster.
Choset said the robots may not be ready for use for another five to ten years, depending on funding.
1.Which institution is responsible for the development of Choset's robots?
A. Robotics Trends. B. Pittsburgh City Council.
C. Carnegie Mellon University. D. Federal Emergency Management Agency.
2.Choset believes that his invention _________.
A. can be attached to an electronic arm
B. can be used by hobbyists in model airplanes
C. can find victims more quickly than a sniffer dog
D. can sense its way as well as its operators
3.By saying "We needed them yesterday" (paragraph 7), Stover means that snake-like robots ________.
A. could help handle the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina
B. should have been put to use in past rescue work
C. helped rescuers search flooded houses yesterday
D. were in greater need yesterday than today
4.What is the text mainly about?
A. Snake-like robots used in industries.
B. Snake-like robots made to aid in rescues.
C. The development of snake-like robots.
D. The working principles of snake-like robots.
高二英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析
From Monday until Friday most people are busy working or studying, but in the evenings and on weekends they are free to relax and enjoy themselves. Some watch TV or go to the movies; others take part in sports. It depends on individual interest. There are many different ways to spend our spare time.
Almost everyone has some kind of hobby. It may be anything from collecting stamps to making model airplanes. Some hobbies are very expensive, but others don’t cost anything at all. Some collections are worth a lot of money; others are valuable only to their owners.
I know a man who has a coin collection worth several thousand dollars. A short time ago he bought a rare fifty-cent piece worth $250!He was very happy about his purchase (buying) and thought the price was reasonable. On the other hand, my youngest brother collects matchboxes. He has almost 600 of them but I doubt if they are worth any money. However, to my brother they are extremely valuable. Nothing makes him happier than to find a new matchbox for his collection.
That’s what a hobby means, I guess. It is something we like to do in our spare time simply for the fun of it. The value in dollars is not important, but the pleasure it gives us is.
1.The word “individual” in the first paragraph most probably means ________.
A.different B.strange C.secret D.one’s own
2.According to the passage, most people are ________ from Monday until Friday.
A.free to relax and enjoy themselves B.busy working or studying
C.free to take part in sports games D.busy watching TV and going to the cinema
3.Something that one enjoys doing in one’s spare time is a ________.
A.job B.pleasure C.hobby D.contribution
4.In the writer’s opinion, ________.
A.all hobbies are very expensive B.some hobbies don’t cost anything
C.hobbies are worthless D.hobbies are valuable to everybody
高二英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析
Going green seems to be fad (时尚) for a lot of people these days. Whether that is good or bad, we can’t really say, but for the two of us, going green is not a fad but a lifestyle.
On April 22,2011,we decided to be green every single day for an entire year. This meant doing 365 different things, and it also meant challenging ourselves to go green beyond the easy things. Rather than recycle and reduce our energy, we had to think of 365 different things to do and this was no easy task.
With the idea of going green every single day a year, Our Green Year started. My wife and I decided to educate people about how they could go green in their lives and hoped we could show people all green things that could be done to help the environment. We wanted to push the message that every little bit helps.
Over the course of Our Green Year, we completely changed our lifestyles. We now shop at organic (有机的) stores. We consume less meat, choosing green food. We have greatly reduced our buying we don’t need. We have given away half of what we owned through websites. Our home is kept clean by vinegar and lemon juice, with no chemical cleaners. We make our own butter, enjoying the smell of home-made fresh bread. In our home office anyone caught doing something ungreen might be punished.
Our minds have been changed by Our Green Year. We are grateful for the chance to have been able to go green and educate others. We believe that we do have the power to change things and help our planets.
1.What might be the best title for the passage?
A.Going Green. B.Protecting the Planet.
C.Keeping Open-Minded D.Celebrating Our Green Year.
2.It was difficult for the couple to live a green life for the whole year because_________.
A.they were expected to follow the green fad
B.they didn’t know how to educate other people
C.they were unwilling to reduce their energy
D.they needed to perform unusual green tasks
3.What did the couple do over the course of Our Green Year?
A.They tried to get out of their ungreen habits.
B.They ignore others’ ungreen behavior.
C.They chose better chemical cleaners.
D.They sold their home-made food.
4.What can we infer form the last paragraph?
A.The government will give support to the green people.
B.The couple may continue their project in the future.
C.Some people disagree with the couple’s green ideas.
D.Our Green Year is becoming a national campaign.
高二英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析
Going green seems to be fad (时尚) for a lot of people these days. Whether that is good or bad, we can't really say, but for the two of us, going green is not a fad but a lifestyle.
On April 22, 2011, we decided to go green every single day for an entire year. This meant doing 365 different green things, and it also meant challenging ourselves to go green beyond easy things. Rather than recycle and reduce our energy, we had to think of 365 different green things to do and this was no easy task.
With the idea of going green every single day for a year, Our Green Year started. My wife and I decided to educate people about how they could go green in their lives and hoped we could show people all the green things that could be done to help the environment. We wanted to push the message that every little bit helps.
Over the course of Our Green Year, we completely changed our lifestyle. We now shop at organic(有机的)stores. We consume less meat, choosing green food. We have greatly reduced our buying we don't need. We have given away half of what we owned through websites. Our home is kept clean by vinegar and lemon juice, with no chemical cleaners. We make our own butter, enjoying the smell of home-made fresh bread. In our home office anyone caught doing something ungreen might be punished.
Our minds have been changed by Our Green Year. We are grateful for the chance to have been able to go green and educate others. We believe that we do have the power to change things and help our planet.
1.What might be the best title for the passage?
A. Celebrating Our Green Year.
B. Protecting the Planet.
C. Keeping Open-Minded
D. Going Green.
2.It was difficult for the couple to live a green life for the whole year because_________.
A. they needed to perform unusual green tasks
B. they didn't know how to educate other people
C. they were unwilling to reduce their energy
D. they were expected to follow the green fad
3.What did the couple do over the course of Our Green Year?
A. They ignore others' ungreen behavior.
B. They tried to get out of their ungreen habits.
C. They chose better chemical cleaners.
D. They sold their home-made food.
4.What can we infer from the last paragraph?
A. The government will give support to the green people.
B. Some people disagree with the couple's green ideas.
C. The couple may continue their project in the future.
D. Our Green Year is becoming a national campaign.
高二英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析
Going green seems to be fad(时尚)for a lot of people these days. Whether that is good or bad, we can’t really say, but for the two of us, going green is not a fad but a lifestyle.
On April 22,2011,we decided to be green every single day for an entire year. This meant doing 365 different things, and it also meant challenging ourselves to go green beyond the easy things. Rather than recycle and reduce our energy, we had to think of 365 different things to do and this was no easy task.
With the idea of going green every single day a year, Our Green Year started. My wife and I decided to educate people about how they could go green in their lives and hoped we could show people all green things that could be done to help the environment. We wanted to push the message that every little bit helps.
Over the course of Our Green Year, we completely changed our lifestyles. We now shop at organic(有机的) stores. We consume less meat, choosing green food. We have greatly reduced our buying we don’t need. We have given away half of what we owned through websites. Our home is kept clean by vinegar and lemon juice, with no chemical cleaners. We make our own butter, enjoying the smell of home-made fresh bread. In our home office anyone caught doing something ungreen might be punished.
Our minds have been changed by Our Green Year. We are grateful for the chance to have been able to go green and educate others. We believe that we do have the power to change things and help our planets.
1.What might be the best title for the passage?
A. Going Green. B. Protecting the Planet.
C. Keeping Open-Minded D. Celebrating Our Green Year.
2.It was difficult for the couple to live a green life for the whole year because_________.
A. they were expected to follow the green fad
B. they didn’t know how to educate other people
C. they were unwilling to reduce their energy
D. they needed to perform unusual green tasks
3.What did the couple do over the course of Our Green Year?
A. They tried to get out of their ungreen habits.
B. They ignore others’ ungreen behavior.
C. They chose better chemical cleaners.
D. They sold their home-made food.
4.What can we infer form the last paragraph?
A. The government will give support to the green people.
B. The couple may continue their project in the future.
C. Some people disagree with the couple’s green ideas.
D. Our Green Year is becoming a national campaign.
高二英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析
Going green seems to be a fad(时尚) for a lot of people these days. Whether that is good or bad, we can't really say, but for the two of us, going green is not a fad but a lifestyle.
On April 22, 2011, we decided to go green every single day for an entire year. This meant doing 365 different green things, and it also meant challenging ourselves to go green beyond easy things. Rather than recycle and reduce our energy, we had to think of 365 different green things to do and this was no easy task.
With the idea of going green every single day for a year, Our Green Year started. My wife and I decided to educate people about how they could go green in their lives and hoped we could show people all the green things that could be done to help the environment. We wanted to push the message that every little thing counts.
Over the course of Our Green Year, we completely changed our lifestyle. We now shop at organic(有机的) stores. We consume less meat, choosing green food. We have greatly reduced our buying we don't need. We have given away half of what we owned through websites. Our home is kept clean by vinegar and lemon juice, with no chemical cleaners. We make our own butter, enjoying the smell of home-made fresh bread. In our home office anyone caught doing something un-green might be punished.
Our minds have been changed by Our Green Year. We are grateful for the chance to have been able to go green and educate others. We believe that we do have the power to change things and help our planet.
1.What might be the best title for the passage?
A. Keeping Open-Minded
B. Protecting the Planet
C. Going Green
D. Celebrating Our Green Year
2.It was difficult for the couple to live a green life for the whole year because _____________.
A. they were expected to follow the green fad.
B. they didn't know how to educate other people.
C. they needed to perform unusual green tasks.
D. They were unwilling to reduce their energy.
3.What did the couple do over the course of Our Green Year?
A. They sold their home-made food.
B. They ignore others' un-green behavior.
C. They chose better chemical cleaners.
D. They tried to get out of their un-green habits.
4.What can we infer from the last paragraph?
A. The government will give support to the green project.
B. Some people disagree with the couple's green ideas.
C. The couple may continue their project in the future.
D. Our Green Year is becoming a national campaign.
高二英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析
Going green seems to be fad(时尚)for a lot of people these days. Whether that is good or bad, we can’t really say, but for the two of us, going green is not a fad but a lifestyle.
On April 22,2011,we decided to be green every single day for an entire year. This meant doing 365 different things, and it also meant challenging ourselves to go green beyond the easy things. Rather than recycle and reduce our energy, we had to think of 365 different things to do and this was no easy task.
With the idea of going green every single day a year, Our Green Year started. My wife and I decided to educate people about how they could go green in their lives and hoped we could show people all green things that could be done to help the environment. We wanted to push the message that every little bit helps.
Over the course of Our Green Year, we completely changed our lifestyles. We now shop at organic(有机的) stores. We consume less meat, choosing green food. We have greatly reduced our buying we don’t need. We have given away half of what we owned through websites. Our home is kept clean by vinegar and lemon juice, with no chemical cleaners. We make our own butter, enjoying the smell of home-made fresh bread. In our home office anyone caught doing something ungreen might be punished.
Our minds have been changed by Our Green Year. We are grateful for the chance to have been able to go green and educate others. We believe that we do have the power to change things and help our planets.
1.What might be the best title for the passage?
A. Going Green. B. Protecting the Planet.
C. Keeping Open-Minded D. Celebrating Our Green Year.
2.It was difficult for the couple to live a green life for the whole year because_________.
A. they were expected to follow the green fad
B. they didn’t know how to educate other people
C. they were unwilling to reduce their energy
D. they needed to perform unusual green tasks
3.What did the couple do over the course of Our Green Year?
A. They tried to get out of their ungreen habits.
B. They ignore others’ ungreen behavior.
C. They chose better chemical cleaners.
D. They sold their home-made food.
4.What can we infer form the last paragraph?
A. The government will give support to the green people.
B. The couple may continue their project in the future.
C. Some people disagree with the couple’s green ideas.
D. Our Green Year is becoming a national campaign.
高二英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析
For most people, shopping is still a matter of wandering down the street or loading a cart in a shopping mall.Soon, that will change.Electronic commerce (trade) is growing fast and will soon bring people more choices.There will, however, be a cost: protecting the consumer from being cheated will be harder.Many governments therefore want to apply street regulations to the electronic world.But politicians would be wiser to see cyberspace as a basis for a new era of corporate self-regulation.
Consumers in rich countries have grown used to the idea that the government takes responsibility for everything for the stability of the banks to the safety of the drugs or their rights to refund when goods are faulty.But governments cannot enforce national laws on businesses whose only presence is on the screen.Even in a country where a clear right to compensation exists, the on-line customer in Tokyo, say, can hardly go to New York to get a refund for a clothes purchase.
One answer is for government to cooperate more: to recognize each other’s rules.But that requires years of work and volumes of detailed rules.And plenty of countries have rules too fanciful for sober countries to accept.There is, however, another choice.Let the electronic businesses do the regulation themselves.They do, after all, have a self-interest in doing so.
In electronic commerce, a reputation for honest dealing will be a valuable competitive asset.Governments, too, may compete to be trusted.For instance, customers ordering medicines on-line may prefer to buy from the United States because they trust the rigorous screening of the Food and Drug Administration; or they may decide that the FDA’s rules are too strict, and buy from Switzerland instead.
Customers will still need to use their judgment.But precisely because the technology is new, electronic shoppers are likely for a while to be a lot more cautious than customers of the normal sort.And the new technology will also make it easier for them to complain when a company lets them down.In this way, at least, the advent of cyberspace may argue for fewer consumer protection laws, not more.
1.According to the author, what will be the best policy for electronic commerce?
A.Self-regulation by the business. B.Strict consumer protection laws.
C.Close international cooperation. D.Government protection.
2.In case an electronic shopper bought faulty goods from a foreign country, what could he do?
A.Refuse to pay for the purchase. B.Go to the seller and ask for a refund.
C.Appeal to consumer protection law. D.Complain about it on the Internet.
3.In the author’s view, businesses would place a high emphasis on honest dealing because in the electronic world _________________________________.
A.international cooperation would be much more frequent
B.consumers could easily seek government protection
C.a good reputation is a great advantage in competition
D.it would be easy for consumers to complain
4.We can infer from the passage that in licensing new drugs the FDA in the United States is ____________________.
A.very quick B.very cautious C.very slow D.rather careless
5.If a customer buys something that does not meet his expectation, what is the advantage of dealing through electronic commerce over the present normal one?
A.It will be easier for him to return the goods he is not satisfied with.
B.It will be easier for him to attain the refund from the seller.
C.It will be easier for him to get his complaints heard by other consumers.
D.It will be easier for him to complain about this to the government.
高二英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析
.He suddenly saw what looked like a snake in the darkness. For an instant his heart seemed to stop ______.
A.to beat | B.beating | C.beaten | D.being beaten |
高二英语单项填空简单题查看答案及解析
Having one of those days – or weeks – when everything seems to annoy you? Even if you do nothing about it, your bad mood will probably go away after some time. But with a little effort, you can forget it much faster – often within a day or two.
◇Walk it off
Exercise is the most popular bad-mood buster. A person who’s in a bad mood has low energy and high tension. Taking a fast ten-minute walk, or doing some quick exercises can do wonders towards changing that bad mood.
◇Tune it out
Listening to your favorite music for a while can also make tension go away quickly, because music starts associations with past positive experiences we’ve had.
◇Give yourself a pep talk
Stop and listen to what’s on your mind. Bad moods are often started by too many negative thoughts. Write them all down on paper, the pessimistic messages you’ve been giving yourself and then give optimistic answers. ( “I still don’t have a job.” Vs “I have two interviews next week.”)
◇Reduce your stress
Relaxation techniques are wonderful mood-lifters. These include deep breathing, stretching and visualizing, all of which sound complicated but aren’t. One easy way to visualize: close your eyes and picture a favorite place, such as the beach. Another simple way to be against distress is to make a to-do list. One reason for being in a bad mood is feeling you have no options. By taking control over certain areas, you realize you’re not helpless. You can make changes in your mood and life.
◇Avoid things that won’t improve your mood.
TV may not help much: You need to increase your energy level and stimulate(刺激) your mind – something that the TV show “Neighbors” won’t do. And before you reach for that piece of cake and coffee, think about how mood and food are linked. Sugar and caffeine contribute to depressed moods. A better choice? Research shows that carbohydrates, such as potatoes and pasta(面食),produce a calming effect in people who have a desire for them.
1.Which of the following may help us stop a bad mood?
A.Doing nothing about it. B.Exercising and enjoying music.
C.Writing down negative thoughts. D.Talking about it with neighbors.
2.Why is it suggested that you close your eyes and picture the beach?
A.It helps remove bad mood. B.It brings us a new technique.
C.It is not complicated to do so. D.It is an area to be easily controlled.
3.TV may not improve your mood because it________.
A.shows what happens around you B.does not energize you
C.reminds you of eating and drinking D.produces a calming effect
4.Which would be the best title for this passage?
A.Energy Level and Stress B.How to Beat a Bad Mood
C.Bad Mood and Our Life D.How to Control Your Feeling.
高二英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析