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Tim Cook, the CEO of Apple, showed off their newest device, the Apple Watch. Mr. Cook said it is the "most personal" device Apple has ever created.
The Apple Watch is a miniature, or very small, computer a person wears on his or her wrist.There will be three models with straps to attach them to your wrist. An Apple Watch will be able to do many of the same things as an iPhone. It will show email, texts, news, health readings and other information. These apps will be customized for the watch. It will be different than just seeing what is on your phone.
Like a phone, you will be able to receive calls on your wrist. Mr. Cook smiled while describing this. "I've been wanting to do this since I was five years old," he said. "The day is finally here." Decades ago, a comic strip hero named Dick Tracy talked into his wrist watch, but until now, that has only been something possible in the future.
Mr. Cook also said it is "incredibly intimate." He said you can capture and send your heartbeat to another person with an Apple Watch.
"This is an incredibly intimate way to tell someone that you are thinking about them," he said. "I hope someone sends me one of those.
The crown of the Apple Watch is what sets this Apple product apart from other companies' smartwatches. Like the touch screen on smartphones, the crown controls what you can do. By turning the crown on an Apple Watch, one can zoom in and out, to look at a map, for example.
The watches will be available in stores in late April. They will be sold at different prices, beginning at $349. Mr. Cook called the high-end model, the one made of 18-karat gold, "jaw dropping beautiful." Its price tag will be thousands of dollars.
"The biggest surprise to me was that the price range goes up to $10,000 for the Apple Edition Watch," writes tech blogger Carolyn Nicander Mohr ofThe Wonder of Tech. "That price is quite steep for technology that may be obsolete in a year."
Apple hopes to excite consumers so they will want to buy and wear computers on their bodies. The first smartwatches from Samsung, Sony and LG have not been selling well. Only five million smartwatches were sold last year, according to Strategy Analytics. Another wearable computer, Google Glass eyewear, is no longer on the market.
Critics say one problem with Apple Watch is that you need an iPhone on your body, or nearby, to make this watch fully functional. Like a phone, it will also need to be charged each night. It remains to be seen whether people really want to carry both a smartphone and a smartwatch.
Apple has overcome skeptics before. Both computer tablets and smartphones were not popular until Apple released the iPad and iPhones.
The announcement today comes after last week's news that Apple will replace AT&T on the Dow Jones Industrial Average. The Dow Jones index includes the top 30 companies representing the U.S. economy and markets.As the newest device of Apple, the Apple Watch can show many things EXCEPT _______?
| A．news | B．texts |
| C．health readings | D．games |
What sets the Apple Watch apart from other companies' smartwatches________?
| A．the crown of the Apple Watch |
| B．the straps of the Apple Watch |
| C．the design of the Apple Watch |
| D．the price of the Apple Watch |
The reason why Apple created the Apple Watch is that_________.
| A．Apple wants to compete with Samsung, Sony and LG |
| B．Apple expects to encourage people to buy its new product |
| C．Apple wants to help people in trouble |
| D．Google Glass eyewear is no longer on the market |
According to the passage, which is NOT true_______?
| A．the Apple Watch is Apple’s newest device |
| B．The apps on the Apple Watch is the same as thos on an iphone |
| C．The crown sets the Apple Watch apart from other companies' smartwatches |
| D．the Apple Watch needs to be charged each night |
Steven Jobs was born on February 24,1955，in San Francisco，California，and was adopted by Paul and Clara Jobs.In 1961 the family moved to Mountain View, California.At that time people started to refer to the area as “Silicon Valley”．
As a child, Jobs preferred doing things by himself, not interested in team sports or other group activities.He enrolled in the HewlettPackard Explorer Club. There he saw his first computer at the age of twelve. He was very impressed, and knew right away that he wanted to work with computers.
At that time almost all computers were so large that one could fill a room, and so costly that individuals could not afford to buy them.Advances in electronics, however, meant that the parts of a computer were getting smaller and the power of the computer was increasing.
By 1980 the personal computer era was well underway.Apple was continually forced to improve its products to remain ahead, as more competitors entered the marketplace. Apple introduced the Apple Ⅲ， but the new model suffered technical and marketing problems.It was removed from the market.
Early in 1983 Jobs unveiled the Lisa.It did not sell well，however, because it was more expensive than personal computers sold by competitors.Apple's biggest competitor was International Business Machines (IBM). By 1983 it was estimated that Apple had lost half of its market share ( part of an industry's sales that a specific company has) to IBM.
In 1984 Apple introduced a revolutionary new model, the Macintosh.The Macintosh did not sell well to businesses，however.It lacked features other personal computers had, such as a corresponding high quality printer. The failure of the Macintosh signaled the beginning of Jobs's downfall at Apple.
Late in 1988 the NeXT computer was introduced, aimed at the educational market.The product was very userfriendly，and had a fast processing speed, excellent graphics displays，and an outstanding sound system.Despite the warm reception，however, the NeXT machine never caught on. It was too costly, had a blackandwhite screen, and could not be linked to other computers or run common software.When did Steven Jobs first get the chance to catch sight of a computer?
| A．In 1955. | B．In 1961. |
| C．In 1967. | D．In 1980. |
Which of the following statements is RIGHT?
| A．All the computes used to be large enough to fill a room. |
| B．Before 1980, Apple was not successful in the field of personal computers. |
| C．Steven Jobs was born in Silicon Valley. |
| D．Apple and IBM competed for sales of personal computers. |
According to the passage, the Apple Ⅲ________.
| A．was popular among the young people |
| B．turned out to be a failure |
| C．caused more competitors to come into the market |
| D．could be linked to a printer |
Which of the following leads to Jobs's downfall at Apple?
| A．The Apple Ⅲ. | B．The Macintosh |
| C．The NeXT. | D．The Lisa. |
One of the reasons why the NeXT computer didn't become popular is that ________.
| A．few people could afford it |
| B．it was not fast enough |
| C．it was not easy to use |
| D．it lacked super sound system |
It's hardly surprising that weather is a favorite topic for so many people around the world—it affects where we choose to live, what we wear, our moods, and perhaps even our national characteristics.Studies have shown that changeable weather can make it difficult to concentrate, cloudy skies slow down reaction, and hot，dry winds make many people badtempered.
If you live in a place like Britain, where the weather seems to change daily if not hourly，you could be forgiven for thinking that the weather is random.In fact the weather is controlled by systems which move around areas of the globe.In the UK the weather depends on depressions (低压气流), often called lows，and anticyclones(反气旋)，also known as highs.These systems start in the Atlantic Ocean, and make their way across the British Isles from the west to the east.Highs bring sunny weather, while lows bring rain and wind.In modern times, human activities seem to be altering weather patterns.Gases produced by heavy industry change the temperature of the earth's surface，and affect cloud formation.Some researchers say that factories in Europe and North America may have been one of the causes of the droughts in Africa in the 1980s.
The human race has always tried to guess the weather，especially in areas of the world where there are frequent changes.Traditional rhymes point to early attempts to identify weather patterns; popular poems include：
Red sky at night, shepherd's delight；red sky in the morning, shepherd's warning.
Flies will swarm before a storm.
Rain before 7，clear by 11.
While folk wisdom can provide a guide to help forecast weather, today's methods of prediction increasingly rely on technology.Satellites, balloons，ships, aircrafts and weather centers with sensitive monitoring equipment, send data to computers.The data is then processed, and the weather is predicted.However，even this system cannot predict weather for longer than about a week.When weather keeps changing，________.
| A．people become badtempered |
| B．people's reaction slows down |
| C．people find it hard to focus on their work |
| D．people find it easy to focus on their work |
The weather in Britain is________.
| A．random | B．moist |
| C．depressing | D．satisfying |
According to a traditional rhyme, if there is a red sky at night, the next day will be________.
| A．windy | B．rainy |
| C．fine | D．snowy |
Which of the following statements is TRUE?
| A．Anticyclones often bring rain and wind. |
| B．Weather forecasting has been done for a long time. |
| C．Weather could never be predicted. |
| D．Modern methods of weather prediction are developed from folk wisdom. |
What is mainly talked about in the second paragraph?
| A．Changes in weather. |
| B．Weather in Britain. |
| C．African droughts. |
| D．Research on weather. |
The United States is not part of the Kyoto Protocol.But since 2005 more than 1,000 mayors across the country have agreed to sign their own version of the protocol.
It is called the United States Conference of Mayors' Climate Protection Agreement.Local leaders have agreed to follow the suggestions of the Kyoto Protocol in their communities.They have also agreed to urge state and federal governments to follow these suggestions.One goal is to reduce air pollution to the 1990 levels by 2012.
A “green” city might work on several kinds of environmental goals and programs.These include air quality，reducing electricity use, green building, public health, the reuse of materials, water quality and clean transportation.
The Natural Resources Defense Council works to protect the environment through action, law and science.One of its online projects is called Smarter Cities, which lists some cities that have made important environmental steps.
Washington，D.C.is also a leading city for green roofs，with over 92,000 square meters of green rooftops.The city also launched a program called “Skip the Bag，Save the River.”Stores charge people a fivecent tax for using plastic or paper shopping bags instead of reusable bags.Money from the tax will be used to clean up a local river.
New York City is using water as a renewable energy source.For several years, the city has experimented with water in the East River to create energy.Officials operating the program recently asked for permission to put into place 30 river turbine devices.
The people of Portland, Oregon are among the top recyclers in the nation.People living there recycle over half of the waste they throw out.The city has also worked to provide green transportation by providing safe bike paths and free parking spaces where electric cars can get recharged.
In Oakland, California, you can ride on one of several public hydrogenpowered(氢气作燃料的) buses.These buses release zero pollution into the air.However，they cost about five times more than common buses.The United States Conference of Mayors' Climate Protection Agreement is aimed at________.
| A．reducing energy use |
| B．reducing air pollution |
| C．improving public health |
| D．reusing waste materials |
Why are shoppers charged a fivecent tax for buying shopping bags?
| A．To clean a local lake that has been polluted. |
| B．To get enough money for the green roof project. |
| C．To prevent shoppers from using reusable bags. |
| D．To collect money for an environmental project. |
New York City is cited as an example of________.
| A．building green rooftops |
| B．making transportation clean |
| C．being good at recycling waste |
| D．using renewable energy source |
Which of the following cities encourage citizens to use bicycles?
A．Washington，D.C. B．New York.
C．Portland. D．Oakland.One obvious disadvantage of adopting hydrogenpowered buses is________.
| A．its high cost | B．side effect |
| C．zero pollution | D．large space |
In a moment of personal crisis, how much help can you expect from a New York taxi driver? I began studying this question and answers are interesting.
One morning, I got into three different taxis and announced，“Well，it's my first day back in New York in seven years.I've been in prison.”Not a single driver replied，so I tried again.“Yeah，I shot a man in Reno.”I explained, hoping the driver would ask me why, but nobody asked.The only response came from a Ghanaian driver，“Reno? That is in Nevada？”
Taxi drivers were uniform sympathetic when I said I'd just been fired.“This is America，”a Haitian driver said.“One door is closed.Another is open.”He argued against my plan to burn down my boss' s house.A Pakistani driver even turned down a chance to profit from my loss of hope；he refused to take me to the middle of the George Washington Bridge—a $20 trip.“Why do you want to go there? Go home and relax.Don't worry.Take a new job.”
One very hot weekday in July, while wearing a red ski mask and holding a stuffed pillowcase with the word “BANK” on it, I tried calling a taxi five times outside different banks.The driver picked me up every time.My ride with a Haitian driver was typical of the superb assistance I received.
“Let's go across the park，” I said.“I just robbed the bank there.I got $25,000.”
“$25,000？” he asked.
“Yeah，you think it was wrong to take it？”
“No, man.I work 8 hours and I don't make almost $70.If I can do that，I will do it too.”
As we approached 86th and Lexington, I pointed to the Chemical Bank.
“Hey，there is another bank，”I said，“Could you wait here a minute while I go inside？”
“No，I can't wait.Pay me now.” His unwillingness may have had something to do with money—taxi drivers think the rate for waiting time is too low—but I think he wanted me to learn that even a bank robber can't expect unconditional support.From the Ghanaian driver's response, we can infer that________.
| A．he was afraid of the author |
| B．he thought the author was crazy |
| C．he looked down upon the author |
| D．he was indifferent to the killing |
Why did the Pakistani driver refuse to take the author to the middle of the George Washington Bridge?
| A．Because he was able to help the author to find a new job. |
| B．Because he wanted to go home and relax. |
| C．Because he thought that the author would commit suicide. |
| D．Because it was far away from his home. |
In the author's opinion, the driver's unwillingness to wait outside the Chemical Bank indicates________.
| A．the driver thought it wrong to support a taxi rider unconditionally |
| B．the driver was frightened and wanted to leave him as soon as possible |
| C．the driver did not want to help a suspect to escape from a bank robbery |
| D．the driver thought that the rate for waiting time was too low |
Which of the following statements is TRUE about New York taxi drivers?
| A．They are ready to help you do whatever you want to. |
| B．They are sympathetic with those who are out of work. |
| C．They refuse to pick up those who would kill themselves. |
| D．They work only for money. |
The passage mainly discusses________.
| A．the way to please taxi riders |
| B．the way to deal with taxi riders |
| C．taxi drivers' attitude to riders in personal trouble |
| D．taxi drivers' attitude to troublesome taxi riders |
All of us, at some point, experience nights where we have difficulty falling asleep or staying asleep. The National Institute of Health estimates that one in three adults has bouts of infrequent sleeplessness or insomnia, while one in 10 sufferes from chronic insomnia. Being unable to get a good night's sleep can cause disruptions in our daytoday life. But persistent sleeplessness can lead to physical and emotional health problems.
The body needs sleep to rejuvenate itself and rebuild the cells necessary to keep the immune system strong and the brain functioning properly. Everyone's body requires a different amount of sleep to accomplish these goals. The average amount of sleep needed by an adult is around seven or eight hours a night. However, some people can function quite well with less than that, while others need more to be at peak performance.
Sleeplessness can be caused by many different things. Most people experience sleeplessness for a short period of time due to an outside stimulus such as stress, improper diet, a poor sleeping environment or an acute medical concern such as the flu. Once the stimulus passes, the ability to sleep will usually return. Chronic sleeplessness may be caused by ongoing health concerns such as the physical pain of arthritis or the emotional pain of anxiety and depression.
Prolonged sleeplessness can have a negative effect on the way the body performs daily tasks. Those that suffer from sleepless nights may find themselves feeling drowsy or fatigued during the day. The ability to concentrate or focus on a task diminishes and you are less mentally alert. Because the body needs sleep to support a healthy immune system, those that are sleepdeprived may be more susceptible to both acute and chronic illnesses such as high blood pressure and diabetes.
Sleeplessness not only takes a toll on your physical self but also your emotional wellbeing. Being unable to sleep well for a few nights may only produce minor irritability. However, if sleeplessness becomes chronic, the price could be much higher in the form of anxiety, depression and possibly substance abuse. Those with chronic sleeplessness may turn to controlled substances such as sleeping pills and alcohol to aid them in their quest for a good night's sleep.
There are numerous home remedies for mild sleeplessness. Prepare your body for sleep by avoiding caffeinated drinks such as tea or coffee before bed. Don't exercise strenuously before bedtime; instead do something relaxing such as meditate or take a warm bath. Go to bed only when you feel sleepy and not because of a selfappointed bedtime.Finally, create a favorable sleeping environment by removing stimulants from your bedroom such as extra lighting or a television. If you still cannot find relief, it may be time to visit your physician for help. A sleep study will be done that can help to determine the cause of the sleeplessness and possible solutions.
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