Since the 1970s, scientists have been searching for ways to link the brain with computers. Brain-computer interface (BCI) technology could help people with disabilities send commands to machines.
Recently, two researchers, Jose Millan and Michele Tavella from the Federal Polytechnic School in Lausanne, Switzerland, demonstrated a small robotic wheelchair directed by a person's thoughts.
In the laboratory, Tavella operated the wheelchair just by thinking about moving his left or right hand. He could even talk as he watched the vehicle and guided it with his thoughts.
“Our brain has billions of nerve cells. These send signals through the spinal cord (脊髓) to the muscles to give us the ability to move. But spinal cord injuries or other conditions can prevent these weak electrical signals from reaching the muscles.” Tavella says. “Our system allows disabled people to communicate with external world and also to control devices.
The researchers designed a special cap for the user. This head cover picks up the signals from the scalp (头皮) and sends them to a computer. The computer interprets the signals and commands the motorized wheelchair. The wheelchair also has two cameras that identify objects in its path. They help the computer react to commands from the brain.
Prof. Millan, the team leader, says scientists keep improving the computer software that interprets brain signals and turns them into simple commands. “The practical possibilities that BCI technology offers to disabled people can be grouped in two categories: communication, and controlling devices. One example is this wheelchair.”
He says his team has set two goals. One is testing with real patients, so as to prove that this is a technology they can benefit from. And the other is to guarantee that they can use the technology over long periods of time.BCI is a technology that can ________.
| A．help the disabled to recover |
| B．control a person's thoughts |
| C．help to update computer systems |
| D．link the human brain with computers |
How did Tavella operate the wheelchair in the laboratory?
| A．By talking to the machine. |
| B．By controlling his muscles. |
| C．By using his mind. |
| D．By moving his hand. |
Which of the following would be the best title for the text?
| A．Robotic Vehicles Could Help to Cure Brain Injuries |
| B．BCI Could Mean More Freedom for the Disabled |
| C．New Findings About How the Human Brain Works |
| D．Switzerland, the BCI Research Center |
Everybody may have seen the film “Death on the Nile (n. 尼罗河)”, but nobody can imagine that the writer of the story, Agatha Christie, saved a baby in a most unusual way.
In June 1977, a baby girl became seriously ill in Deleville. Doctors there were unable to find out the cause of her illness, so she was sent to a famous hospital in London, where there were many excellent doctors. The baby was so seriously ill that a team of doctors hurried to examine the baby without delay. The doctors, too, were puzzled by the baby’s illness and they also became discouraged. Just then a nurse asked to speak to them.
“I think the baby is suffering from thallium (n. 铊) poisoning. ” said the nurse. “A few days ago, I read a story ‘A Pale Horse’ written by Agatha Christie. Someone uses thallium poison, and all the symptoms are written in the book. They are exactly the same as the baby’s.”
“You’re very good at observing things,” said a doctor, “and you may be right. We’ll carry out some tests and find out whether the cause is thallium poisoning or not.”
The tests proved that the baby had indeed been poisoned by thallium. Once they knew the cause, the doctors were able to give her correct treatment. The baby soon got well and was sent back to Deleville A week later, it was reported that the poison might have come from an insecticide (n. 杀虫剂) used in Deleville.The baby was sent to a hospital in London because __________.
| A．her parents were living in London then |
| B．the hospitals in Deleville were full at that time |
| C．she was the daughter of a famous doctor in London |
| D．doctors in Deleville were not sure about the cause of her illness |
When the baby was first sent to the hospital in London, her illness was considered to be ____________.
| A．quite easy to treat |
| B．the result of thallium poisoning |
| C．a common one |
| D．extraordinarily serious |
From this passage it seems that the baby’s illness had something to do with __________.
| A．a dead writer |
| B．the water in Deleville |
| C．a dangerous murderer |
| D．a harmful substance (n. 物质) used to kill pests |
As far as we can tell from the story, Agatha Christie ____________.
| A．had never met this baby |
| B．had spent a long time studying the baby’s illness |
| C．visited the baby both in Deleville and London |
| D．gave the nurse some advice on the telephone |
People believe that climbing can do good to health. Where can you learn the skill of climbing then? If you think that you have to go to the mountains to learn how to climb, you’re wrong. Many Americans are learning to climb in city gyms. Here，people are learning on special climbing walls. The climbing wall goes straight up and has small holding places for hands and feet.
How do people climb the wall? To climb，you need special shoes and a harness (保护带) around your chest to hold you. There are ropes tied to your harness. The ropes hold you in place so that you don’t fall. A beginner’s wall is usually about 15 feet high, and you climb straight up. There are small pieces of metal that stick out for you to stand on and hold on to. Sometimes it’s easy to see the next piece of metal. Sometimes, it’s not. The most difficult part is to control your fear. It’s normal for humans to be afraid of falling, so it’s difficult not to feel fear. But when you move away from the wall, the harness and the ropes hold you，and you begin to feel safe. You move slowly until you reach the top.
Climbing attracts people because it’s good exercise for almost everyone. You use your whole body, especially your arms and legs. This sport gives your body a complete workout. When you climb，both your mind and your body can become stronger.What can we infer from the passage?
| A．People are fairly interested in climbing nowadays. |
| B．It is impossible to build up one’s body by climbing. |
| C．People can only learn the skill of climbing outdoors. |
| D．It is always easy to see holding places in climbing. |
The most difficult thing to do in wall climbing is________.
| A．to tie ropes to your harness | B．to control your fear |
| C．to move away from the wall | D．to climb straight up |
The word “workout” underlined in the last paragraph most probably means________.
| A．settlement | B．exercise | C．excitement | D．tiredness |
Why does the author write this passage?
| A．To tell people where to find gyms. |
| B．To prove the basic need for climbing. |
| C．To encourage people to climb mountains. |
| D．To introduce the sport of wall climbing. |
Due to the increasing number of violence acts produced in schools all over the world，more and more parents prefer to have their children educated at home rather than at school. This way they can assure their safety and well-being，although teachers and school representatives are trying to improve the situation in schools by increasing the number of the persons in charge with the safety of the students．
The main reason for violence acts are the films and cartoons that fill the children’s time．They want to do everything．they watch on TV and never think at the consequences，and they may hurt a classmate or a teacher．
On the other hand, parents are not fully satisfied with the children’s results obtained in classes and they consider private classes would have better results．
When a teacher has to watch 30 students in class he can’t probably see what each of them is doing，how he is writing，or if he understands the explanations．At home the teacher can explain in details everything the child doesn’t understand as many times as he considers proper．
And many times．the child grows fond of the teacher at home，who becomes his best friend，and who helps him whenever he needs someone to talk to．
However, the best solution would be a mixture between the education received at school and that at home，because school makes children communicate and socialize．Keeping a child at home for fear there might happen something bad to him．only makes the child’s character weak and prevents him from knowing what real life is．Staying in a crystal ball only does harm to the child．
All in all．schools have been created to help children，not to harm them，so it’s best to keep children in these special places，where they learn，laugh，have fun and make new friends．The writer’s purpose in writing the text is to ．
| A．teach parents the ways to keep theft children safe |
| B．show solutions to developing children’s character |
| C．explain the main reason for violence acts in schools |
| D．analyze an education problem and give opinions |
Parents prefer to have their children educated at home because the following EXCEPT that______.
| A．More and more violence acts occur in schools |
| B．Parents want to improve their Children's grades |
| C．Parents are concerned about their children’s safety |
| D．The education system is far from satisfactory |
What does“a crystal ball”in the passage refer to?
| A．A toy that can be used for entertainment． |
| B．A safe and comfortable environment． |
| C．An object that is made of crystal． |
| D．A setback that is hard to overcome． |
We call infer from the passage that ．
| A．violence TV programs have bad effects on children’s behavior |
| B．The teacher at home is more patient than the teacher at school |
| C．Children today are weak from lack of sense of right and wrong |
| D．There are too many students in class for a teacher to teach |
Which of the following might be the best title of the passage?
| A．Advantages and Disadvantages of Private Classes |
| B．Who is to Blame, Parents or Schools? |
| C．Which is Better, School Study or Home Study |
| D．The Relationship between Teachers and Children |
Is war unavoidable? Can war be prevented?
History tells that there were wars, great or small, in every century, in every decade. Throughout the ages, from the Stone age to the Atomic Age, men have been fighting, first with swords and shields(盾), then with guns and cannons, and now, hydrogen bombs and missiles are used for military purpose. But, in spite of all these, it is still my belief that war can be prevented and peace can be won, but it requires the effort of every one of us.
I am sure that we would not like to experience another world war. If it ever happens, two-thirds of the world and much of the civilization which men have gained through time, patience and effort will be destroyed. Will then the remaining one-third of the world be able to survive on its own?
Our task now is not to blame the past, but to plan for the future.
If there is peace in the world, men can use their rockets to explore the mystery of space, their submarines to explore the depth of the sea, their missiles to deliver mails and their fine equipment to penetrate(穿透) the jungles of Africa, instead of using them military.
Governments can use their money to build more schools, so that more children can be educated to be useful citizens. Scientists can use atomic energy to propel (推动) steamships and planes. They can also design new machines to increase the production of goods and thus improve the way of living of the people.
How can a peaceful world be achieved? It requires, in my opinion, the understanding and friendship between all people from all nations. Let no one suffer discrimination by reason of color, race, religion, or national origin. Let the rich support the poor and the strong help the weak.
We know that neither peace nor such a dream world can come true in a day or a month. It may even take decades or centuries. But let us plan and begin now.The best title for this passage is _________.
| A．The Past and the Future | B．To Die or To Survive |
| C．War and Peace | D．Understanding and Friendship |
In the writer’s opinion, __________.
| A．it is too difficult to achieve peace |
| B．peace can be won through the efforts of all human beings |
| C．another world war is inevitable |
| D．wars will always exist in the world |
We can infer from the passage that __________.
| A．wars were not expensive in the past |
| B．wars can promote the development of weapons |
| C．things for military use can be transformed to peaceful use |
| D．as long as there are wars, people’s way of living cannot be improved |
What should we do to achieve peace?
| A．Spend more money educating children. |
| B．Stop military exploration |
| C．Call on people to help each other |
| D．Act from right now on. |
Which word can best describe the writer’s picture of the future of the world?
| A．Optimistic | B．Pessimistic | C．Imaginative | D．Disappointing |
The UK has a well-respected higher education system and some of the top universities and research institutions in the world. But to those who are new to it all, sometimes it can be confusing.
October is usually the busiest month in the college calendar. Universities have something called Freshers’ Week for their newcomers. It’s a great opportunity to make new friends, join lots of clubs and settle into university life．
However, having just left the comfort of home and all your friends behind, the prospect（前景）of meeting lots of strangers in big halls can be nerve-wracking（令人头痛的）. Where do you start? Who should you make friends with? Which clubs should you join?
Luckily, there will be thousands of others in the same boat as you worrying about starting their university social life on the right foot. So just take it all in slowly. Don’t rush into anything that you’ll regret for the next three years.
Here is some top advice from past students on how to survive Freshers’ Week：
●Learn rules. Make sure you know British social etiquette（礼节）. Have a few wine glasses and snacks handy for your housemates and friends.
●Be kind. Sometimes cups of tea or even slices of toast can give you a head start in making friends.
●Be sociable. The more active you are, the more likely you’ll be to meet new people than those who never leave their room.
●Bring a doorstop. Keep your door open when you’re in and that sends positive messages to your neighbors that you’re friendly.
So with a bit of clever planning and effort, Freshers’ Week can give you a great start to your university life and soon you’ll be passing on your experience to next year’s new recruits．Which of the following statements is FALSE according to the passage？
| A．October is generally the busiest month for universities． |
| B．It’s a good idea to have a doorstop. |
| C．A bit of planning can make Freshers’ Week easier. |
| D．The first week of your every year at university is called Freshers’ Week． |
The underlined word “recruits” in the last paragraph refers to ．
| A．courses | B．freshers | C．neighbors | D．challenges |
We can infer from the 4th paragraph that ．
| A．the newcomers usually miss the days living at home |
| B．most of the students in the UK spend three years in universities |
| C．many freshers are worried about how to fit university life |
| D．all the new students will make new friends and join certain clubs |
Why does the author suggest having wine glasses and snacks handy？
| A．To pass the busy university life． |
| B．To help make friends with other freshers． |
| C．To show yourself a drinker as others． |
| D．To pass the time in a happy way． |
The main purpose of the passage is to ．
| A．tell the newcomers how to make a new start in universities |
| B．introduce something about higher education system of the UK |
| C．discuss something about the Freshers’ Week in the UK |
| D．advise the freshmen how to behave well in the beginning |
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