Robots at the World Expo 2010 Shanghai play football，practice tai chi , play the violin, prepare Chinese dishes and care for the elderly. Scrap metal robots created by a Chinese farmer can pour tea and paint pictures.
Global designers of robots are making them more capable, powerful and affordable, so they will play more roles in more sectors, from manufacturing to health care, and they can help around the house.
Now Toyota, the world's biggest car maker, and Canon, the biggest camera maker, have joined research and development to make robots a practical reality, like a PC.
The Expo Shanghai is a place where China can learn about advanced robotics, and a stage for made-in-China robots.
Developers are taking robots from “Star Wars” and top laboratories and putting them into the industrial sector, even in consumer markets. They are used in health care, computer programming, manufacturing and culture.
The goals are to add more practical functions and to cut prices, and lower cost comes with higher volume.
“The World Expo is a unique opportunity to demonstrate French technology，”says Bruno Maisonnier，chief executive of Aldebaran Robotics, which shows Nao robots in the France Pavilion.
More than 700 Nao robots, which cost 1,000 to12,000 euros (US $ 14,640) each, are sold mainly to research organizations, including 60 to 70 in China.
The French-based company aims to promote robots in the general public market starting from late2011，with entertainment or learning functions at a "reasonable price", according to Maisonnier.
Visitors to the Japan Pavilion are struck by Toyota's dextrous Partner Robot playing the Chinese folk song Jasmine Flower on the violin. Other robots play other instruments, but the violin is the most complicated.
Many people were so enchanted by the robotic musician that they overlooked other Partner Robots, designed to be personal assistants especially for Japan's aging population. One can even carry passengers. Robots at the World Expo 2010 Shanghai are designed to be __________
| A．enjoyable and interesting |
| B．practical and affordable |
| C．good-looking and considerate |
| D．funny and relaxing |
Toyota and Canon have joined research and development to make robots, which shows __________
| A．robots are not too difficult to design |
| B．they want to abandon their present career |
| C．they are more fit to make robots |
| D．robot manufacture will become a big market |
From the passage we can see Nao robots are designed __________
| A．to show robots can be made cheaply |
| B．to meet the need of research |
| C．to serve the needs of every one of us |
| D．to show robots can be intelligent |
What's the best title of the passage?
| A．Advanced robots in the world |
| B．Robots in the future |
| C．Robots, practical and affordable |
| D．Robots show at the World Expo 2010 Shanghai |
Have you ever wanted to feel like you were in a western film? Or maybe you wanted to feel like you were a pioneer traveling the west? It is possible to experience such things during a Wild West vacation! Here are four of the best Wild West vacation locations available:
Walk the Lewis and Clark Trail
Walk some or all of the 3,700 miles trail that was traversed by Mariwether Lewis and William Clark, two of the world’s greatest explorers. Though not all the trails are marked, there are various stops that have been preserved by various historic societies. There is also a coach (长途客车) that makes a 16-day trek following the trail. This begins in St. Louis, Missouri, and ends in Astoria, Oregon.
Venture Route 66
Take a tour or go to see it yourself — ride on the famous Route 66. The road is nearly 2,500 miles long. Harley Davidson offers motorcycle tours that last two weeks. Route 66 will provide an experience that may only be found on the open road. The historic road is still well taken care of.
Visit the Grand Canyon
Visit the greatest canyon in the world, located in Northern Arizona. Raft down the Colorado River, or hike the various trails that run throughout the canyon. If walking is not your thing, there are donkey and horse riding adventures available. In addition, there are motorized boats that float down through the canyon in a week’s time.
Visit Deadwood
Located in South Dakota, Deadwood is a historic landmark. It is the kind of town that comes to mind when one thinks of an old western film. Actors who act as gunslingers (杀手) will often be seen in the streets playing their roles. Winter activities are popular in this old town, and there is always something to do.The underlined word “trek” (Para 2) can be replaced by .
| A．beautiful scenery | B．traveling information |
| C．pleasant holiday | D．long and hard journey |
Which of following riding adventures can tourists take on Route 66?
| A．A horse riding adventure. | B．A coach riding adventure. |
| C．A motorcycle riding adventure. | D．A donkey riding adventure. |
If you want to hike various trails you are advised to .
| A．visit the Grand Canyon | B．visit Deadwood |
| C．venture Route 66 | D．walk the Lewis and Clark Trail |
What do we know from the passage?
| A．A number of historic stops aren’t protected well. |
| B．William Clark was a pioneer who explored the west. |
| C．Western films are the most popular among Americans. |
| D．None of the trails in the west are marked. |
Without any hesitation, he said, “I’d be better off dead.” Hearing those words come out of my best friend’s mouth tore my heart apart. He has repeated that phrase more than once, and my mind continually plays it over like a voice recording.
I met my best friend about three years ago. After knowing me for six months, he told me about his struggles with depression. Sadness was not the only emotion that came over me; I was shocked. He seemed so outgoing and happy all the time. I soon learnt that he was physically and emotionally abused as a young child, causing him to have suicidal (自杀的) thoughts.
He refuses to talk to others about his depression because he now distrusts adults, especially those in his family. In spite of this, he feels as if I understand him and that I know the right words to say. Thus, when it comes to helping him, convenience is not in my vocabulary. It doesn’t matter where I am or what I am doing, for he takes priority. Sometimes he just needs the assurance of my voice telling him that everything is going to be okay and that I will not let him down.
Many students at his school laugh at him when they notice the scars on his arms from cutting. It seems that other kids have every right to make fun of him and to look down on him. But no one holds such a right, so I encourage him to ignore the heartless kids who treat him badly. When he feels the weight of judging eyes or hateful voices, I always remind him that I care about him unconditionally. Just hearing me say I will always be his best friend seems to give him the security he needs to keep on going.
My best friend once told me that if he hadn’t had me, he wouldn’t be alive. He said that my encouraging words convinced him not to take his life. Our friendship has taught me that a single word can impact on someone’s life. With the fragility of life as it is, I believe in the necessity of encouragement.The author’s friend got into depression mainly because _____ .
| A．he lived without his parents | B．he had poor health |
| C．he received little care at school | D．he had a bitter childhood |
We know from the passage that the author’s friend_____.
| A．was better off three years ago | B．thought little of others’ judging eyes |
| C．appreciates the author’s help | D．wants to communicate with his parents |
What is the best title for the passage?
| A．I believe in encouragement. | B．I enjoy friendship. |
| C．My friend and I. | D．The story of my friend. |
Heather Mills McCartney lives an admirable life, attending celebrity parties, meeting regularly with the rich and famous and doing meaningful work for charity. All who work with her admire and respect her. But Heather’s life hasn’t always been so easy. When Heather was only 9 years old, her mother abandoned her and her two brothers. At the age of 13, she ran away from home and ended up living on the streets in London. Eventually, however, her exceptional beauty led to a career in modeling. At that time, Heather also began helping with the war relief efforts in former Yugoslavia. Through her modeling and relief work, she soon became famous.
But in August 1993, at age 25 her life changed once again. She was crossing the street in London when a motorcycle crashed into her. She was so badly injured that the doctors had to cut off her left leg. After that, she discovered she frequently needed to change her artificial limbs. It was expensive and she felt it was a waste to just throw away the old one. It occurred to her to set up an organization that could deliver used artificial limbs to Yugoslavia and other war-torn countries. It was through her charity （慈善）work that she met her husband Paul McCartney.
Throughout her life, Heather has risen above problems and focused on helping others. Her work with artificial limbs even earned her a nomination(提名) for the Nobel Peace Prize in 1996. Heather’s persistence and determination are what impresses anyone who knows her. Heather believes anyone can make a positive difference in the world. This passage is mainly about _________.
| A．Heather’s miserable life | B．Heather’s contribution to the world |
| C．Heather’s success in her work | D．Heather’s belief in life |
Heather began her modeling career _________.
| A．due to her mother’s encouragement |
| B．after her brothers abandoned her |
| C．because of her excellent intelligence and performances |
| D．because she was especially beautiful |
Which of the following is Not true according to the passage?
| A．Heather won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1996. |
| B．Heather began her charity work while working as a model. |
| C．Her artificial limbs had to be replaced continuously. |
| D．Heather has never been defeated by her problems. |
From the passage we can infer that people admire and respect Heather because _________.
| A．she had a lot of misfortunes during her childhood. |
| B．she was a world-famous model |
| C．she is determined and never gives in |
| D．she made a great difference in the world |
Cholesterol Dr, Arlene Donar, Medical
Watchers Director SPECIAL PURCHASE
ALERT-JULY 2008
“BEST PRODUCT WE VE EVER SEEN”—THIS REALLY-WORKS—ON SALE NOW
Need to ler your cho1esterol(胆固醇)? We strongly recommend
CholesterolblockTM, This really works, and how is the best time to buy, because of a special offer for the first 250 customers only for a limited time.
*Takes cholesterol out of food, no matter what you eat.
*Clinically demonstrated effective in university and hospital testing,.
*Lowers cholesterol absorption up to 42% or more.
*NO SIEDE EFFCTS unlike LiptorR, ZocorR, CrestorR& other commonly prescribed(处方的）medications safe and effective.
*Outsells all other brands on Internet every month．
LIMITED TIME ONLY---Try Cholesterol Watchers free with purchase. If you happen to be the 200th customer to buy Cholesterolblock, you will ．
| A．be able to buy it at a low price | B．be the luckiest one online |
| C．try it free of charge | D．change your diet |
LiptorR, ZocorR,CrestorRare .
| A．diseases | B．side effects | C．medicines | D．cholesterol |
CholesterolblackTM has the following advantages EXCEPT that ．
| A．it helps take cholesterol out of whatever food you eat |
| B．it has been proved useful in hospital testing |
| C．it helps people absorb at least 42% cholesterol |
| D．it sells best on Internet every month |
Where can you most probably read this passage?
| A．In a travel guide book. | B．On a university bulletin board. |
| C．In a health magazine. | D．In a doctor's prescription. |
A funny thing happened on the way to the communications revolutions: we stopped talking to one another.
I was walking in the park with a friend recently，and his cell phone rang, interrupting our conversation. There we were, walking and talking on a beautiful sunny day and…I became invisible, absent from the conversation.
The telephone used to connect you to the absent. Now it makes people sitting next to you feel absent. Why is it that the more connected we get, the more disconnected I feel? Every advance in communications technology is a tragedy to the closeness of human interaction. With email and instant messaging over the Internet, we can now communicate without seeing or talking to one another, With voice mail, you can conduct entire conversations without ever reaching anyone. If my mom has a question, I just leave the answer on her machine.
As almost every contact we can imagine between human beings gets automated, the alienation index goes up. You can't even call a person to get the phone number of another person my more. Directory assistance is almost always fully automated.
I am not against modern technology. I own a cell phone, an ATM card a voice mail system, and an email account. Giving them up isn't wise…they're a great help to use. It's some of their possible consequences that make me feel uneasy.
More and more .I find myself hiding behind e-mail to do a job meant for conversation. Or being relieved that voice mail picked up because I didn't really have time to talk, The industry devoted to helping me keep in touch is making me lonelier…or at least facilitating my antisocial instincts．
So I've put myself on technology restriction: no instant messaging. with people who live near me，no cell phoning in the presence of friends, no letting the voice mail pick up when I'm at home.Which of the following would be the best title of the passage?
| A．The Advance of Communications Technology |
| B．The Consequences of Modern Technology |
| C．The Story of Communications Revolution |
| D．The Automation of Modern Communications |
The sentence “Now it makes people sitting next to you feel absent，”means that .
| A．the people sitting beside you have to go away to receive a phone call |
| B．you can hardly get in touch with the people sitting beside you |
| C．modem technology makes it hard for people to have a face-to-face talk |
| D．people can now go to work without going to the office |
The writer feels that the use of modern communications is ．
| A．encouraging | B．disappointing | C．satisfying | D．embarrassing |
The passage implies that .
| A．modern technology is bridging the people. |
| B．modern technology is separating the people |
| C．modern technology is developing too fast |
| D．modern technology is interrupting our communications |
粤公网安备 44130202000953号