A study by St.. Louis University has found that a lovable dog named Sparky and a robotic dog, AIBO, were about equally effective at reducing the loneliness of nursing home residents. The study confirmed previous findings that dogs have a good effect on nursing home residents.
Dr. Andrew Smith led the Stanford University team that built a home-assistance robot. “If humans can feel an emotional tie with robots, some day they could be not just our assistants, but also our companions,” he said.
To test whether residents responded better to Sparky, a trained dog, or the Sony-made robotic dog, researchers divided 38 nursing home residents into three groups at three long-term care centers in St. Louis.
One group had weekly 30-minute one-on-one visits with Sparky; another group had similar visits with AIBO; a control group had no contact with either dog. The groups’ respective levels of loneliness were tested by having them answer a number of questions at the beginning and near the end of the visits.
After two months, both groups that had contact with the dogs were less lonely and more attached. Most of the elderly regarded Sparky, a 9-year-old dog, as an audience for their life stories, said investigator Marian Banks.
“He listened attentively, wagged his tail, and allowed them to pet him,” said Banks, who adopted and trained Sparky after finding him in a street behind her home seven years ago.
Those who were together with AIBO took a little longer to warm to the robotic creature. Over time, however, they grew comfortable with him, and petted and talked to him. He would respond by wagging his tail, vocalizing, and blinking his lights..
“AIBO is charming once you start to interact with him,” said the study’s author, Dr. William Banks, “He’s an attractive sort of guy. He gives a feeling of being personal, not just a robot.”Before the new study, it was known that ____.
| A．robots were effective at reducing people’s loneliness |
| B．robots could build close connection with humans |
| C．dogs could help get rid of old people’s loneliness |
| D．dogs and robots were equally effective at reducing loneliness |
Those who had contact with the robotic dog found that ___.
| A．they didn’t feel comfortable with it |
| B．it was hard for them to interact with it |
| C．they weren’t comfortable with it at first |
| D．the robot’s vocalizing and blinking confused them |
The findings of the researchers tell us that___.
| A．robots are better at caring for old people than nurses |
| B．robots can to some degree replace dogs as companions for old people |
| C．it’s easy for people to become close with robots |
| D．every home will have a robot assistant one day |
What would be the best title for the passage?
| A．Robots Serve People Better Than Thought |
| B．No More Lonely Old Age with Emotional Robots |
| C．Advanced Technology Used to cheer up the Elderly |
| D．Robots and Dogs Can Equally Cheer up the Elderly |
A well-developed class website can save teachers a lot of time in the long run, improving both student-teacher and parent-teacher communication while providing a repository(储藏室) of all classroom documents for future use. Although some extra time during the school year is required, once the site is up it needs just minor adjustments each new year. Have a question? Get an answer from online technology support now.
Decide which type of software you will use to create a class website. Microsoft has many applications that can be used to create websites, such as Publisher, Word and Expression Web. Some web hosting sites also have simple editing tools you can use instead of a formal program.
Find a place to host your class website. Your Internet provider often provides about some small space for a personal website for free, and many other free website hosting companies are on the Internet.
Consider using a template（模版）for your first attempt at website design. Most templates also come with a selection of color and graphics already in place so you can concentrate on content instead of design. It will contain basic sections with your specific class information.
Add content to your website. You need to have announcement sections for both parents and students, a syllabus or class rules area, homework assignments or a calendar, and maybe a links section for learning more about in-class topics and playing educational games.
Decorate your website with graphics, clip art, background, cool fonts（字体）and other decorative items. It’s best to find a theme you like, such as ducks or fire hydrants, and make your design elements all stick with your theme. If you think that is too attractive, go for an abstract look. Remember to keep it simple since too much color and graphics make a site look busy and detract from its usability.According to the article, a class website is of great help in ______.
| A．playing computer games |
| B．storing class documents |
| C．communicating between students and teachers |
| D．reducing the teachers’ time to run the website |
When you first create your class website, you are advised to ______.
| A．buy a small space for the website |
| B．put all the class information on it |
| C．make it as appealing and colorful as possible |
| D．focus more on some details rather than design |
The best title could be ______.
| A．Advantages on Setting up A Class Website |
| B．Reasons for Setting up A Class Website |
| C．How to Decorate A Class Website |
| D．How to Create A Class Website |
The article is probably taken from a ______.
| A．novel | B．poster | C．magazine | D．guidebook |
Ning Zetao has become China’s new swimming star due to his amazing performance at the 2014 Asian Games in Incheon(仁川), South Korea.
With already two gold medals in hand, the 21-year-old clocked 47.70 seconds in the 100m freestyle, setting a new Asian record. This result has been recognized by FINA as the world’s third best time this year, fast enough to have won a gold medal in last year’s Barcelona World Championships.
“It is my first international event,” said Ning, who later won a fourth gold medal in Incheon. “I am happy that my results are pretty close to my personal best.”
Born in the central Chinese city of Zhengzhou，Ning entered the local team at the age of 11 and joined the navy team in 2007．He first caught people’s attention in 2009 when he finished eighth in the 200m individual medley at the National Games.
Nevertheless, Ning suffered from bone infection in both knees for a long time, which made him unable to train hard on his kicks.
He also had an indigestion problem and had to eat “soft” food which is easy to digest. His poor stomach even made it impossible for him to complete week-long full time training.
But the young swimmer never gives up. His idol is the great Russian swimmer Alexander Popov, who continued to win Olympic gold medals after he was stabbed on a street. Ning said, “He was a real fighter and I need to learn from him.”
Taken better care of by coaches and doctors, Ning can now train as normally as others. And that is why he can get today’s achievements.
The gold medals at the Asian Games also boosted the confidence of the new swimming star, who hopes to enter the national team and compete for China in more international events.
“Chinese men’s swimmers have never been placed among top eight in the short-distance freestyle,” he said. “I hope I can do it, just like what Sun Yang did in the mid-long distance freestyle.”
The best title could be ______.
| A．Ning Zetao, a world famous swimmer |
| B．Ning Zetao, a promising rising star |
| C．Ning Zetao, a strong-will soldier |
| D．Ning Zetao, a world gold medalist |
We can learn from the passage that ______.
| A．the results Ning got in Incheon are his best |
| B．Ning is good at both 100m and 200m freestyle |
| C．Ning broke an Asian record at the 2014 Asian Games |
| D．Ning has already got 5 gold medals in the international event |
It can be inferred from the passage that ______ .
| A．some health problems have little effect on Ning’s training |
| B．being well cared of is the main reason for Ning’s achievements |
| C．the Chinese swimmers have never got into the top eighth in the world event |
| D．gold medalist as Ning is, he is not yet a member of National Swimming Team |
The underlined word “boost” in the last but one paragraph probably means ______.
| A．increase | B．weaken |
| C．lack | D．encourage |
A firm handshake could be a sign of a longer life expectancy (预期寿命), according to British researchers. Scientists at the Medical Research Council found that elderly people who could still give a firm handshake and walk at a quick pace were likely to outlive their slower peers.
They found simple measures of physical capability like shaking hands, walking, getting up from a chair and balancing on one leg were related to the life expectancy, even after accounting for age, sex and body size. The study is the first to provide a comprehensive (综合的) view of the existing data from 33 studies. “These measures have been used in population-based research for quite a long time,” said Rachel Cooper of the Medical Research Council’s Unit for Lifelong Health and Aging. “They may be useful indicators for subsequent health.”
Cooper, whose study appears in the British Medical Journal, said more studies are needed to clarify whether the measures would be helpful to doctors as a screening tool. “I wouldn’t suggest that we roll them out into clinical practice tomorrow, but it is possible that they could be used in the future,” she told the media.
The researchers examined 33 studies involving tens of thousands of people, most of whom were aged over 60 but living in the community rather than in hospital or care homes. The researchers found that those with the strongest hand grasps tended to live longer than those with weak grips. The death rate over the period of the studies for people with weak handshakes was 67 percent higher than for people with a firm grip.
The slowest walkers were nearly three times more likely to die during the study period than swifter walkers. The people who were slowest to get up from a chair had about double the death rate compared to the quick risers.
“Those people in the general population who have higher physical capability levels are likely to live longer,” Cooper said. Which of the following are measures of physical capability according to the passage?
a. shaking hands
b. balancing
c. getting up
d. weight lifting
e. walking
| A．a, b, c, e |
| B．a, c, d, e |
| C．b, c, d, e |
| D．a, b, d, e |
What does Cooper think about the measures of physical capability?
| A．They are of little help to doctors. |
| B．They can’t be used as a screening tool. |
| C．They can be applied to medical practice. |
| D．They are potentially beneficial to people. |
What can be inferred from the passage?
| A．People who walk quickly and shake hands firmly have a lower death rate. |
| B．People with the strongest hand grasp are more outgoing. |
| C．Most of the people who received the study live in the community. |
| D．People who always sit are more likely to die than those who stand. |
In which part of a newspaper would you most probably find this passage?
| A．Sports. |
| B．Health. |
| C．Economics. |
| D．Culture. |
The ancient Maya mastered the art of ceramic (制陶艺术) in a manner which virtually no other culture did.
The Vase of the Seven Gods, made in the area of Naranjo, an ancient city of the Maya Civilization in the present-dayPeten,Guatemala,shows the fine way Maya handled clay. Like all art of Maya, this vase exhibits highly religious symbols. Furthermore, the artist’s name is carved along the bottom of this piece in the form of a small white rabbit.
Ceramics also served as reminders of ancestors and gods. The Flour De Lis Vase is a fine example of this. The water lilies are not only symbols of new birth and life giving qualities, but a constant reminder of purity. On this vase, the water lilies are white, which is undoubtedly a sign of purity. The black background shows the sea, in which the lilies float.
Furthermore, ceramics served practical functions in the Maya culture. Vases, which are quite commonly seen today, were used primarily to hold liquid chocolate and cocoa. Bowls were used to hold various maize (玉米) products. Maize was seen as the imaginary body of the Maize God and the ancient Maya thought that as one ate the maize or the body of God from the bowl, they actually became God. Plates were merely used for any object.
Finally, Maya used depictions on ceramics to resurrect (复活) family members and honor gods. Because they believe that they would come back to life with their names spoken or their figures drawn, the carvings and paintings on these ceramics played a vital role in Maya spirituality.
Clearly, ceramics served a key function in ancient Maya society from dinner plates to acts of God. What do we know from the passage?
| A．The art of ceramic of the ancient Maya was instructed by gods. |
| B．The Vase of the Seven Gods was made by the people of Guatemala. |
| C．The ceramic art of the ancient Maya was the best in the world at that time. |
| D．Naranjo is a well-known city of Guatemala at present. |
Which of the following is a characteristic of the art of Maya?
| A．Seven gods are carved on a vase. |
| B．A vase exhibits highly religious symbols. |
| C．The artist’s name is carved on the top of a vase. |
| D．There is a big white rabbit on a vase. |
The ancient Maya used the Flour De Lis Vase to _________.
| A．remind them of their ancestors and gods |
| B．hold water and grain or cook food |
| C．show the importance of new birth and life |
| D．express people’s pure friendship and love |
The Maya carved names and figures of family members on ceramics to ________.
| A．honor their family members |
| B．be remembered by their children |
| C．draw the attention of the shoppers |
| D．wish they would come back to life |
While firing off pictures of a curious five-month-old fox, photographer Simon Czapp soon realized his subject had quite an interest in photography herself. The clever fox was so curious about the camera equipment that she climbed right on top of it. And while she was supposed to be the subject of the shoot, the fox stood on the shutter release button (快门按钮) and took her own frames.
Mr.Czapp visited the New Forest Wildlife Park to capture images of new arrival Jessie. She has been at the animal park in Ashurst, Hampshire — home to wolves, deer and other animals in 25 acres of ancient woodland — after being abandoned by her mother.
Mr.Czapp said, “Jessie was very playful and curious and not at all camera shy. Soon after I arrived she was chewing my shoes and everything seemed to be a game to her. Then she started exploring the camera I had set up on a tripod (三脚架). She stood on her back legs to look at the back of the camera. She balanced her front paws on it and at one point knocked it over.”
He put the camera back on the tripod and Jessie soon jumped back up. At one point she had all four paws on the camera and was keeping her balance. Mr.Czapp added, “She jumped up there several times and I realized it could make a good picture. As I was leaving with the public’s viewing window behind me, I thought I heard the camera go off but didn’t think much of it. But when I checked the memory card afterwards, I was amazed to see Jessie had actually taken two pictures of me photographing her. I couldn’t believe a fox had gained an advantage over me! Jessie is a lovely little fox. There were some lovely photos of her but she obviously thought the photographer was worthy of a picture too!” The underlined word “frames” in Paragraph 1 probably means “_________”.
| A．photographers |
| B．pictures |
| C．buttons |
| D．advantages |
What do we know about Jessie from the passage?
| A．She arrived at the park five months ago. |
| B．She lives at the park together with some wolves. |
| C．She was sent to the park because her mother left her. |
| D．She loved the life in the park so much that she left her mother. |
What is the RIGHT time order of the following steps in Jessie taking a photo?
a. Jessie pressed the shutter release button.
b. MrCzapp left the camera to take a photo.
c. Jessie climbed onto the camera and balanced herself.
d. MrCzapp set up his camera on a tripod.
e. Jessie stood up to look at the back of the camera.
| A．d, e, c, b, a |
| B．a, b, c, d, e |
| C．c, b, e, a, d |
| D．d, e, b, c, a |
From the passage we can infer that _________.
| A．sometimes foxes are better at photographing than men |
| B．some foxes are more friendly than humans |
| C．Mr.Czapp felt ashamed that the fox gained an advantage over him |
| D．Mr.Czapp and Jessie took photos for each other |
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