The Future Body Network
Are you tired of wires that spread all over your desk and make your tea pour onto your keyboard? If so, you may consider using devices（设备）that use technologies like Wi-Fi or Bluetooth. Neither of them sends information through wires. It sounds perfect, doesn't it? But this is not the end of the story.
Scientists are now trying to use the human body to do a similar job. They have come up with the idea of sending information over the small electric field on the surface of the skin. To do this, a transmitter（传送器）could be built into your pocket or a portable device like an MP3 player. This transmitter would then use your skin's electrical field to send information to a receiving device. Since this kind of transmission can only go as far as 20cm, the receiver would have to be close to some part of your body.
By using this body network, you wouldn't need a wire to link your MP3 player in your pocket to the headphones in your ears, or to send to your computer the pictures from a digital camera hanging around your neck. Moreover, you can exchange electronic cards or share music files with others by shaking hands, dancing cheek（脸颊）to cheek, or kissing each other.
Now, here comes a question. Why would anyone want to use their body as a network when Wi-Fi and Bluetooth already exist? The answer lies in the fact that with Wi-Fi or Bluetooth, it is hard to limit the signals only to your own use. In a busy place, you can never know who might steal your information. However, body networking is safer. It is hard for other people to pick up signals sent over the surface of your skin since this body network only has a limit of 20cm from your body. Thus, no one else can easily pick up and interpret your signals.
Moreover, the most important use of body networking in the future may well be communication within the body rather than just on its surface. Imagine having a number of small devices implanted under your skin and using them to control your own nervous system. In other words, imagine that you have a powerful in-body computer. What do you think of this idea? Does it sound cool, like being a character in the movie RoboCop? Or would you prefer to be just an ordinary human being?
What's the main idea of the passage?
| A．Technology is causing us to be lazy. |
| B．Technology is doing harm to our body. |
| C．Technology is advancing too quickly. |
| D．Technology is making our life easier. |
Which of the following is NOT the way to exchange information over the skin?
| A．Shaking hands. | B．Looking into one's eyes. |
| C．Kissing each other. | D．Dancing cheek to cheek. |
The body network is safer because _________.
| A．the information is only important to you |
| B．the information is stored inside your body |
| C．the information is sent out only 20cm from your body |
| D．the information is controlled by your nervous system |
The movie RoboCop is most likely about________.
| A．a man that is controlled by a computer |
| B．a computer that turns into a man |
| C．a robot that catches a thief |
| D．a thief that steals a robot |
Holidays are really important. Many of us will have childhood memories of summer holidays where we were taken away from home to experience new environments and learn in different ways.
But holidays are expensive and, for those on low wages or living on benefits, they are often unobtainable. Even the cheapest holidays require travel and other additional costs that are difficult for many families to meet.
For working parents, the long summer break can be a very difficult problem for childcare. When an annual leave allowance amounts to only five weeks, there is a need to spread this across the year. Couples can find themselves taking leave in turn in order to care for children who are on holiday. For some ’ this makes even an affordable family holiday difficult.
The schools that I visit in Nottingham are full of experienced staff committed to giving our children a caring and inspiring learning environment. The number of children receiving free school meals is quite large in Nottingham and many schools have breakfast clubs to make sure that children get a healthy start to the day. Most schools undertake programs of group or individual educational support. Schools also have an important role in sofeguaiding children's welfare through the ongoing touch and support with their pupils. During the long summer holidays, much of this is missed.
While teachers are holidaying in the UK, many of their pupils spend the whole six weeks on the street where they live. The lack of free school meals for six weeks can result in pressure on a family budget and an inability to afford the inspiring experiences that help children to continue their learning.
In setting out its plans for a five-term year, Nottingham City Council (委员会)is seeking to reduce the summer holiday down lo four and a half weeks, with a more balanced five terms of roughly eight weeks, each followed by a two-week break. We believe this will give real “down time" for school staff and pupils alike but will be short enough not to cause a real break in learning.
We acknowledge that this change may be difficult for some school staff, particularly whose own children are educated in other authorities. However, this must be weighed against the benefits for city children for whom we all have the greatest duty of care.The passage is probably written by .
| A．an experienced teacher | B．a working parent |
| C．an inspired student | D．a city council member |
The underlined word "they" in the second paragraph refers to " ’.
| A．environments | B．holidays | C．wages | D．benefits |
It is suggested in the passage that the summer break be reduced to .
.
| A．2 weeks | B．4.5 weeks | C．5 weeks | D．6 weeks |
The plans for a shorter summer holiday will help students_____ .
| A． obtain the cheapest holidays without additional costs |
| B． get a chance to spend six weeks a term with teachers in school |
| C． benefit more from the caring and inspiring learning environment |
| D． have more school days to receive free school meals |
It can be inferred from the passage that _______.
| A． working parents can enjoy a five-week break to care for their children |
| B． the suggested plans for a five-term school year can hardly be carried out |
| C． the long summer holiday gives teachers and students real "down time" |
| D． some school staff will say “ No" to the plans for a shorter summer holiday |
Do you know how it is when you see someone yawn and you start yawning too? Or how hard it is to be among people laughing and not laugh yourself? Well, apparently it's because we have mirror neurons (神经元）in our brains.
Put simply, the existence of mirror neurons suggests that every time we see someone else do something, our brains imitate (模仿)it，whether or not we actually perform the same action. This explains a great deal about how we learn to smile, talk, walk, dance or play sports. But the idea goes further： mirror neurons not only appear to explain physical actions y they also tell us that there is a biological basis for the way we understand other people.
Mirror neurons can undoubtedly be found all over our brains, but especially in the areas which relate to our ability to use languages, and to understand how other people feel. Researchers have found that mirror neurons relate strongly to language. A group of researchers discovered that if they gave people sentences to listen to ( for example ："The hand took hold of the ball" ) , the same mirror neurons were triggered as when the action was actually performed (in this example, actually taking hold of a ball).
Any problems with mirror neurons may well result in problems with behavior. Much researeh suggests that people with social and behavioral problems have mirror neurons which are not fully functioning. However, it is not yet known exactly how these discoveries might help find treatments for social disorders.
Research into mirror neurons seems to provide us with ever more information concerning how humans behave and interact(互动）.Indeed, it may turn out to be the equivalent (相等物）for ncurosciencc of what Einstein's theory of relativity was for physics. And the next time you feel the urge to cough in the cinema when someone else does--well，perhaps you'll understand why.Mirror neurons can explain .
| A． why we cry when we are hurt |
| B．why we cough when we suffer from a cold |
| C． why we smile when we see someone else smile |
| D． why we yawn when we see someone else stay up late |
The underlined word "triggered" in the third paragraph probably means “’’•
| A．set off | B．cut off | C．built up | D．broken up |
We can learn from the passage that mirror neurons .
| A． relate to human behavior and interaction |
| B．control human physical actions and feelings |
| C． result in bad behavior and social disorders |
| D． determine our knowledge and language abilities |
What is the passage mainly about?
| A． Ways to find mirror neurons. |
| B．Problems of mirror neurons. |
| C． Existence of mirror neurons. |
| D． Functions of mirror neurons. |
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“Well, I finally did it. I finally decided to enter the digital age and get a cell phone. My kids have been annoying me and the last straw was when my car broke down, and I was stuck by the highway for an hour before someone stopped to help. But when I went to the cell phone store, I almost changed my mind. The phones all have cameras, computers and a "global-positioning" something or other that's supposed to spot me from space. Goodness, all I want to do is to be able to talk to my grandkids ！ The people at the store weren't much help. They couldn't understand why someone wouldn't want a phone the size of a postage stamp. And the rate plans! They were confusing, and expensive… and the'contract (合同）lasted for two years! I'd almost given up until a friend told me about her new Jitterbug phone. Now,I have the convenience and safety of being about to stay in touch with a phone I can actually use. ”
Affordable plans that I can understand一and no contract to sign (签订）！ Unlike other cell phones，Jitterbug has plans that make sense. Why should I pay for minutes I m never going to use? And if I do talk more than I plan，I won ’t find myself with no minutes like my friend who has a prepaid phone. Best of all, there is no contract to sign_so I m not locked in for years at a time. The US-based customer service is second to none. And the phone gets service anywhere in the country.
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Call 1-888-809-8794 or visit www. jitlerbugdirect. com.What made “I” finally think of getting a cell phone?
| A． Being stuck by the highway. |
| B． Being urged by his grandkids. |
| C． Being persuaded by cell phone salespersons. |
| D． Being attracted by the friendly return policy. |
On the monthly basis of 100 minutes, the Jitterbug weekly rate is about .
| A．$3.75 | B．$4.99 | C．$14.99 | D．$19.99 |
An advantage of Jitterbug mentioned in the passage is .
| A． its discount price with a free gift |
| B． its reasonable rate plans without a contract |
| C． its M global-positioning" system with 911 access |
| D． its good customer service all over the world |
The main purpose of the passage is to .
| A． tell a customer's story of Jitterbug |
| B． provide two ways to order Jitterbug |
| C． give a brief introduction of Jitterbug |
| D． attract potential customers to Jitterbug； |
At exactly eleven Sir Percival knocked and entered, with anxiety and worry in every line of his face. This meeting would decide his future life，and he obviously knew it.
"You may wonder, Sir Percival,’’ said Laura calmly, “if I am going to ask to be released (免除）from my promise to many you. I am not going to ask this. I respect my father's wishes too much.“
His face relaxed a little, but one of his feet kept beating the carpet.
"No, if we are going to withdraw.(退出）from our planned marriage, it will be because of your wish, not mine.
“Mine?” he said in great surprise. “What reason could I have for withdrawing?’
"A reason that is very hard to tell you," she answered. "There is a change in me. ”
His face went so pale that even his lips lost their color. He turned his head to one side.
"What change?" he asked, trying to appear calm.
“ When the promise was made two years ago, ” she said, 44 my love did not belong to anyone. Will you forgive me, Sir Percival, if I tell you that it now belongs to another person?”
“I wish you to understand, “ Laura continued, “that I will never see this person again, and that if you leave me, you only allow mc to remain a single woman for the rest of my life. All I ask is that you forgive mc and keep my secret."
‘I will do both those things, “ he said. Then he looked at Laura, as if he was waiting to hear more.
"I think I have said enough to give you reason to withdraw from our marriage, “ she added quietly.
“ No. You have said enough to make it the dearest wish of my life to marry you, “ he said.How did Percival feel during his meeting with Laura?
| A．Angry. | B．Calm. | C．Nervous. | D．Excited. |
We can learn from the passage that .
| A． Laura had once promised to marry Percival |
| B． Laura's father wished to end her marriage |
| C． Percival had been married to Laura for two years |
| D． Percival asked to be released from the marriage |
The passage is probably taken out of .
| A．a novel | B．a report | C．a diary | D．an essay |
Some people believe that a Robin Hood is at work, others that a wealthy person simply wants to distribute his or her fortune before dying. But the donator who started sending envelopes with cash to deserving causes，accompanied by an article from the local paper, has made a northern German city believe in fairytales (童话）•
The first envelope was sent to a victim support group. It contained €10,000 with a cutting from the Braunschtveiger Zeitung about how the group supported a woman who was robbed of her handbag； similar plain white anonymous (匿名）envelopes, each containing €10,000, then arrived at a kindergarten and a church.
The envelopes keep coming, and so far at least €190,000 has been distributed. Last month, one of them was sent to the newspaper ’s own office. It came after a story it published about Tom, a 14-year-old boy who was severely disabled in a swimming accident. The receptionist at the Braunschweiger Zeitung opened an anonymous white envelope to find 20 notes of €500 inside , with a copy of the article. The name of the family was underlined.
"I was driving when I heard the news,” Claudia Neumann, the boy s mother, told DerSpiegel magazine. “I had to park on the side of the road； I was speechless. ”
The money will be used to make the entrance to their house wheelchair-accessible .and for a course of treatment that their insurance company refused to pay for.
“For someone to act so selflessly, for this to happen in such a society in which everyone thinks of himself, was astonishing," Mrs. Neumann said. Her family wonder whether the donator is a Robin Hood character, taking from banks to give to the needy.
Henning Noske, the editor of the Braunschweiger Zeitung, said： “Maybe it is an old person who is about to die. We just do not know. ” However, he has told his reporters not to look for the city’s hero, for fear that discovery may stop the donations.The Braunschweiger Zeitung is the name of .
| A．a church | B．a bank | C．a newspaper | D．a magazine |
Which of the following is TRUE about the donation to Tom?
| A． The donation amounted to €190,000. |
| B． The donation was sent directly to his house. |
| C． The money will be used for his education. |
| D． His mother felt astonished at the donation. |
It can be inferred from the passage that .
| A． the donator is a rich old man |
| B． the donation will continue to come |
| C． the donation comes from the newspaper |
| D． the donator will soon be found out |
What would be the best title for the passage?
| A． Money Is Raised by the Newspaper |
| B． Newspaper Distributes Money to |
| C． Unknown Hero Spreads Love in Envelopes |
| D． Robin Hood Returns to the City |
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