Robots that can chat，find misplaced glasses，draw aeroplanes and play with your children are attracting thousands of visitors during an expo in Tokyo as Japan adapts to changes in society．
Robots，such as the sound．sensitive Chapit，answer simple questions and even joke with people to help them fight loneliness and stay alert in old age．
Japan has one of the world’s fastest-aging societies and the government predicts that by 2050，the proportion of people over 65 will reach 40 percent．”Many older people in Japan live alone and have no one to talk to，”said Kazuya Kitamura representative of the expo organizer．“Communication robots accompany people and don’t mind listening to the same stories over and over again．”
Matsumoto’s“Personal Mobility Robot，”equipped with four cameras and a sensor to recognize the user's centre of gravity, is designed to help elderly move around without pressing buttons．using joysticks(操纵杆)or rotating wheels as in traditional wheelchairs．
The robot can also help find misplaced glasses by identifying them with a sensor．
Other robots，such as the award-winning “DiGRO” can support busy parents who have little time to play with their children．The robot can use the Internet to find a simple image and then draw pictures，keeping children company while parents work．
While Chapit，a relatively simple robot，managed to attract a corporate partner many researchers，such as Kiyoshi Matsumoto，a professor at the University of Tokyo，struggle to attract sponsors for more expensive projects．
“We have developed a robot that can assist many people，but we still haven’t found a sponsor,” said Matsumoto，who added that the cost of the machine，if mass-produced，would be comparable to that of a car．”In the current economic environment there are few companies willing to invest in such a costly project，”he said．
It can be inferred from the text that_______．
| A．many children lack love from parents |
| B．robots helpful to the old will be in great demand |
| C．robots are the most useful to children |
| D．robots do better than people in healthcare |
It is difficult to find sponsors for robots because______.
| A．Japan is suffering economy depression |
| B．the robots are of poor design |
| C．the production of robots costs a lot |
| D．the future market is worrying |
【改编】What’s the purpose of the passage?
| A．To attract people to visit the new kind of robot |
| B．To find the investment of the robot. |
| C．To persuade people to buy the robot. |
| D．To introduce a new kind of robot. |
When I was in the third grade, I was picked to be the princess（公主）in the school play. For weeks my mother had helped me practice my lines. But once on stage, every word disappeared from my head. Then my teacher told me she had written a narrator’s（解说者的）part for the play, and asked me to change roles. Though I didn’t tell my mother what had happened that day, she sensed my unhappiness and asked if I wanted to take a walk in the yard.
It was a lovely spring day. We could see dandelions（蒲公英）popping(突然出现) through the grass in bunches, as if a painter had touched our landscape with bits of gold. I watched my mother carelessly bend down by one of the bunches. “I think I am going to dig up all these weeds,” she said. “From now on, we’ll have only roses in this garden.”
“But I like dandelions,” I protested. “All flowers are beautiful-even dandelions!”
My mother looked at me seriously. “Yes, every flower gives pleasure in its own way, doesn’t it?” She asked thoughtfully. I nodded. “And that is true of people, too,” she added.
When I realized that she had guessed my pain, I started to cry and told her the truth.
“But you will be a beautiful narrator,” she said, reminding me of how much I loved to read stories aloud to her.
Over the next few weeks, with her continuous encouragement, I learned to take pride in the role. The big day finally came. A few minutes before the play, my teacher came over to me. “Your mother asked me to give this to you,” she said, handing me a dandelion. After the play, I took home the flower, laughing that I was perhaps the only person who would keep such a weed(野草).he girl did not play the role of the princess mainly because .
| A．she felt nervous on the stage |
| B．she lost her interest in that role |
| C．she preferred the role of the narrator |
| D．she had difficulty memorizing her words |
Why did the mother suggest a walk in the garden?
| A．To remove the dandelions. |
| B．To enjoy the garden scene. |
| C．To have a talk with her daughter. |
| D．To help her daughter recite the words. |
. What is the main idea of the story?
| A．Everybody can find his or her own way to success. |
| B．Everybody has his or her own value in the world. |
| C．Everybody should learn to play different roles. |
| D．Everybody has some unforgettable memory. |
The purpose of keeping fit is to avoid illness ,resist the mental and physical fatigue（疲劳）that make us more likely to contract infections ,and above all to feel more pleasure in being alive. Research has shown the value of a balanced diet ,fresh air, sunshine ,enough rest and some forms of regular exercise for everyone .If everyone followed this plan ,the number of people visiting the doctor and going to hospital would be considerably reduced.
Unfortunately ,although most people acknowledge the importance of physical fitness ,not enough of us put this into practice .We spend too much time watching others from the comfort of an armchair or a seat in the stand at a sports stadium.
One reason why people who are physically fit to live longer is that they do not put the heart under excessive strain（过度劳累）and so they reduce the risk of heart and blood vessel（血管）diseases .They also avoid suffering the consequences of weakened muscles ,which are the cause of a great deal of back and abdominal（腹部的）trouble.
About 640 muscles for about 45% of our body's weight ,they must have the ability to store energy and be continually supplied with fuel by the blood .Sensible exercise ,suited to each individual and preferably undertaken on the advice of a doctor ,is the best insurance of meeting these requirements.Why do people want to prevent illness?
| A．Because they want to avoid health. |
| B．Because they want to add mental and physical fatigue. |
| C．Because they want to feel happier and live longer. |
| D．Because they want to obtain much more money. |
What happens to him if a man follows the plan given by the researchers?
| A．He will be more exhausted（疲惫的）. |
| B．He will know his doctor very well. |
| C．He will do less work. |
| D．He may be less familiar with the hospital. |
Which of the following is TRUE according to the passage?
| A．Everyone knows the importance of this plan. |
| B．Not all people do what the plan tells them to do. |
| C．Most people put the plan into practice. |
| D．No one wants to do with this plan. |
Next autumn when you see wild geese (大雁) heading south for the winter flying in a V formation you might think about what scientists have discovered as to why they fly that way.
As each bird flaps (拍打) its wings, it creates an uplift (上升力) for the bird immediately following. By flying in a V formation the whole group adds at least 71% greater flying range (航程) than if each bird flies on its own.
People who share a common direction and sense of community can get where they are going more quickly and easily because they are traveling on the push of one another.
When a wild goose falls out of the formation, it suddenly feels the drag and resistance (阻力) of trying to go alone and quickly tries to get back into the formation to take advantage of the lifting power of the bird in front. When the head goose gets tired, it flies back into the formation and another goose flies to the front. It is wise to take turns doing difficult jobs whether it be people or wild geese flying south.
Wild geese honk (发出雁叫声) from behind to inspire those up front to keep up their speed. What can we learn from this?
When a wild goose gets sick or wounded by gunshots, and falls out of the formation, two other geese will fall out with that goose and follow it down to lend help and protection. They will stay with the fallen goose until it is able to fly or until it dies, and only then will they go on with their own or with another formation to catch up with their group.Wild geese fly in a V formation in order to ________.
| A．protect themselves from danger |
| B．fly more quickly and easily |
| C．help the sick and wounded |
| D．fly much higher in the sky |
If a wild goose falls out of the V formation, _______.
| A．the other geese will call it back |
| B．the other geese will fly with it |
| C．it will try to get back into the group |
| D．it will fall behind the whole group |
What can we learn from the fifth paragraph?
| A．We should try to lead others to move forward. |
| B．We should give people facing difficulties encouragement. |
| C．We should believe in those who offer us help. |
| D．We should care more about the old and sick. |
When a wild goose becomes sick or is wounded, ____.
| A．it will be left alone and will fall on the ground |
| B．the whole group will stop flying |
| C．two other geese will stay with it to offer help |
| D．other geese will honk to give it encouragement |
Part-time jobs for 15 and 16 years olds
Waiter / Waitress
A job as a waiter or waitress is a good choice for 16-year-olds. Not only can one earn $9-$12 an hour, but they can also get the tips (小费). Most people that visit a restaurant don’t just have good food. They come here to relax and have a good time. Besides serving food quickly, a young waiter who talks to them politely with a smile on his face will make the diners enjoy their time at the restaurant.
Work in a library
If one is fond of books, working in a library is another suitable choice. Besides the pay is good, it offers a lot of free time when students can actually sit down and finish their homework. So on returning home, they would have time to hang around with friends or just relax. So working in a library is an excellent part-time job for teens, especially for school students.
Internet jobs
There are many ways of making money through online jobs like clicking on advertisements, visiting sites and signing up with them. However, such online jobs don’t pay well. A better Internet job for teens is to complete online surveys. These are quite simple surveys that usually ask one about his/ her opinions and ideas. Many companies use these ideas to make products designed for teenagers.What does the writer think of the job as a waiter/waitress?
| A．It needs a period of training. |
| B．It pays much more than other jobs. |
| C．It can improve one’s leadership skills. |
| D．Making diners comfortable is part of the job. |
A student who is busy with his research paper will probably choose to work ______.
| A．in a restaurant | B．in a library |
| C．on the Internet | D．in an IT company |
The writer wrote this text to ______.
| A．tell us the importance of doing part-time jobs |
| B．advise teenagers how to choose a part-time job |
| C．teach young people how to make lots of money |
| D．introduce his/her experience of doing part-time jobs |
Why do some companies ask the teens to do surveys?
| A．The teens have more free time. |
| B．They can pay less to the teens. |
| C．They need advice to make products for teens. |
| D．The teens usually express their true opinions. |
It was a cold night in Washington, D.C. and I was heading back to the hotel when a beggar walked up to me. He asked if I would give him some money so he could get something to eat. After a short hesitation, I shook my head and kept walking. With helplessness, he said, “I really am homeless and I really am hungry! You can come with me and watch me eat!” But still, I kept on walking.
The incident bothered me for the rest of the week. In fact, I had money in my pocket and it wouldn’t have killed me to hand over a dollar or two even if he had been lying. On a freezing cold night, I wondered what would happen to a hungry man.
Flying back to my hometown, Anchorage, I couldn’t help thinking of him. I tried to find excuses for my failure to help. After all, government agencies, churches and charities were there to feed him. Besides, you’re not supposed to give money to beggars.
But I just couldn’t forget the incident and began to think I must do something. At that time, I was writing a garden column(专栏) for the local Daily News. Suddenly, I came up with an idea. Why not try to get all my readers to plant one row in their gardens donated to Bean’s? Bean’s Cafe, the soup kitchen which has volunteered to feed hundreds of hungry people every day for many years.
The idea began to take off. I began to receive more e-mails and calls from kind people. They tried their best to show their concerns about the hungry. Food was sent by different warm-hearted people and even those who only grew flowers sent their flowers. They are food for the spirit, which comforted me a lot.
Next year, the Garden Writers Association of America held their annual conference in Anchorage and after learning of Anchorage’s program, Plant a Row for Bean’s became Plant a Row for the Hungry. You can imagine how happy I was then. According to the passage, the reason why the author refused to give some money to the beggar probably is that ________.
| A．he happened not to take money then |
| B．he wasn’t fond of beggars |
| C．he thought that the beggar was lying |
| D．he didn’t like being bothered |
Why did the author can’t help thinking of the beggar ?
| A．Because he felt he had done wrong for his failure to help him. |
| B．Because he wanted to know whether the beggar had lied to him. |
| C．Because he was worried that the beggar might die from hunger. |
| D．Because some agencies, churches and charities should help the beggar. |
What does the underlined phrase “take off” in Paragraph 5 mean?
| A．remove clothes. | B．leave suddenly. |
| C．become successful. | D．come into being. |
What’s the correct order to record the author’s launch of the program “Plant a Row for the Hungry?”
① He ran into a beggar.
② He was regretful.
③ He came up with the idea of planting a row for Bean’s.
④ The Plant a Row for Bean's became Plant a Row for the Hungry.
⑤ He went back home.
⑥ Writers gathered in Anchorage.
| A．①②③④⑤⑥. | B．①⑤②③④⑥. |
| C．①②⑤③④⑥. | D．①②⑤③⑥④. |
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