Scientists are placing robotic dogs in the homes of lonely old people to test whether they can improve the quality of life for humans. Alan Beck, an expert(专家) in human-animal relationship, and Nancy Edwards, a professor of nursing, are leading the animal-assisted study on the effect of robotic dogs on old people’s depression (沮丧) , physical activity, and life satisfaction.
In the study, the robot, called AIBO, is placed for six weeks in the houses of some old people who live alone. Before placing AIBO in the home, scientists will collect baseline data(数据) for six weeks. These old people will keep a diary to note their feelings and activity before and after AIBO. Then, the scientists will review the data to test if it has produced any changes in the life of its owner.
“I talk to him all the time, and he responds to my voice,” says a seventy-year-old lady. “When I’m watching TV, he’ll stay in my arms until he wants down. He has his own mind.”
The AIBOs respond to certain orders. The scientists say they have some advantages over live dogs, especially for old people. Often the elderly are disabled and cannot care for an animal by walking it or playing with it. A robotic dog removes exercise and feeding concerns.
“At the beginning, it was believed that no one would relate(与……相关) to the robotic dog, because it was metal and not furry.” Beck says. “Hopefully, down the road, these robotic pets could become a more-valuable health helper. They will record their masters’ blood pressure, oxygen levels or heart rhythms(心律). AIBOs may even one day have games that can help stimulate(刺激) older people’s minds.”The purpose of Beck and Edwards’ study is to _____________.
| A．understand human-animal relationship |
| B．make lonely old people’s life better |
| C．find the causes of old people’s loneliness |
| D．improve the animal-assisted research |
In the research, the old people are asked to _____________.
| A．note the activities of AIBOs |
| B．keep AIBOs at home for 12 weeks |
| C．record their feelings and activity |
| D．study the collected information |
What does the underlined word “removes” mean?
| A．moves again | B．is movable | C．doesn’t need | D．need |
What is the better point of AIBO than live dogs?
| A．It is easier to keep at home. |
| B．It can help the disabled people. |
| C．It responds to all the human orders. |
| D．It can watch TV with its owner. |
The writer seems to suggest that the future robotic dogs may__________.
| A．cure certain diseases | B．keep old people active |
| C．change people’s ideas | D．look more like real dogs |
信息归纳，请阅读下面这篇短文，根据所提供的信息，完成信息卡。
My name is Li Qiang. My home is eleven kilometers away from school. From Monday to Friday, I get up at 6 and have a quick breakfast. Then I leave home for school at half past six. I walk for five minutes to the bus stop. And the early bus takes me to school. The bus ride usually takes thirty minutes. At school I learn Chinese, English, math and some other subjects. All my teachers work very hard and teach us very well. I have five lessons in the morning, from 7:50 to 12:00. I have lunch in the school dining hall. After lunch I have a rest. There are two classes in the afternoon, from 2:30 to 4:00. Then I play sports for forty minutes. I like sports very much. I usually play basketball with my classmates. We always have a great time.
| Information Card |
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| Distance(距离) from Li Qiang’s home to school |
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| The thing Li Qiang does at six thirty |
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| Time to spend on the bus ride |
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| The number of classes a day |
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| Activity Li Qiang often does after school |
配对阅读。下面是五个人在节日期间的活动和七个节日习俗简介，请按他们的节日活动匹配他们所过的节日。
| A. the Mid-Autumn Festival It is a time for family members to get together. And it is also a time to enjoy the beauty of the full moon. B. Dragon Boat Festival It is one of the most important traditional festivals in China. Eating zongzi and having dragon boat races are very important customs of this festival. C. The Spring Festival It starts on the first day of the first lunar month. On the Spring Festival morning, people usually visit relatives. Older people give lucky money to children. D. Thanksgiving Day It is a time to give thanks for food in the autumn. Turkey is always the most important food in this festival. E. Mother’s Day Mother’s Day in the United States is on the second Sunday of May. It is a time to show mothers our love. F. April Fool’s Day April 1st is not a national holiday, but it is celebrated in many countries. On this day, practical jokes are played on friends and family. G. Christmas Day At Christmas, family members get together to eat Christmas dinner. Parents always give children gifts. The Christmas tree is a symbol of Christmas Day. |
Why is 2004 a special year? Because it is a Leap Year (闰年).
What’s so special about that? Well, we have a Leap Year every four years. And it has 366 days, not the usual (通常的) 365. In a Leap Year, we have 29 days in February, while in a usual year we have only 28 days.
Why do we have a Leap Year? We have a Leap Year so we can keep the calendar (日历) in step with the seasons. The calendar is a kind of clock for the year. But how long is a year? A calendar year is 365 days. But a true year is 365 days, 5 hours, 48 minutes and 46 seconds long. That’s the time it takes the earth to go around the sun. So every four years we have one more day, and we put it at the end of February, the shortest month of a year. Then we have a Leap Year.How often can we have a Leap Year?
A. Every year
B. Every February
C. Every four yearsWhat is a calendar? It’s a kind of clock _______.
A. for the year
B. for Leap Year
C. for the usual yearIt takes the earth ________ to go around the sun.
| A．a day |
| B．a year |
| C．a little longer |
| D．than 365 days |
Which is the shortest month of the year?
| A．February | B．March |
| C．May | D．June |
Mary was born on February 29,1972. Now she is 32. How many birthdays has she had?
| A．32 | B．16 | C．8 | D．4 |
Love, sometimes we can’t see it!
This is an old story. One day, a man was not happy when his 7-year-old daughter made a box with some paper. The family didn’t have much money. So the father thought his daughter wasted(浪费)the paper. The next day, the little girl gave the box to her father and said,“Dad, today is your birthday. This box is for you.”
The man was happy. But he was not happy again when he found there was nothing in the box. “Why didn’t you put anything for me in the box?” He asked his daughter. The little girl looked at him and cried, “Dad, I put my love in the box. It’s all for you!”
The man felt sad and said sorry to his daughter. Sometimes, we can’t see love with our eyes.How old was the daughter?
A. Six years old.
B. Seven years old.
C. Eight years old. What did the daughter do the next day?
A. She gave the box to her father.
B. She put some money in the box.
C. She gave some paper to her father.Why was the father was not happy again when he opened the box?
A. Because he didn’t like the box.
B. Because there was nothing in the box.
C. Because he thought his daughter wasted paper.How did the father feel at last?
A. Happy. B. Sorry. C. Bored.Which of the following is true?
A. The family had lots of money.
B. The daughter loved her father.
C. The father didn’t like his daughter.
David will study in Chicago for a year. He’s reading a travel book about the weather.
| Weather in Chicago |
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| Spring |
It’s usually cool. Sometimes it rains. |
| Summer |
It’s usually hot and sunny. The temperature is sometimes not very high. |
| Fall |
It’s normally cool and windy. The temperature is pleasant. |
| Winter |
It gets very cold. It often snows. |
He’s asking, “What will I probably do there during that time?”
I’ll have a lot of free time in summer. Maybe I’ll go sailing on Lake Michigan. In fall, I won’t have a lot of free time because I’ll be in school. I’ll probably play football. Maybe I’ll be on the school team. I won’t go ice-skating, because I don’t know how to skate. I won’t go skiing, because I can’t ski. Here’s an idea. I’ll probably visit my family in Florida at Christmas and New Year and get some sunshine.
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