Sleep deprivation(缺失)is an important hidden factor in lowering the achievement of school pupils, according to researchers carrying out international education tests.
It is a particular problem in richer countries with sleep experts linking it to the use of mobile phones and computers in bedroom late at night. Sleep deprivation is such a serious problem that lessons have to be dragged down to a lower level to suit sleep-deprived learners, the study found. The international comparison, carried out by Boston College, found the United States to have the highest number of sleep-deprived students, with 73% of 9- and 10-year-olds and 80% of 13- and 14-year-olds identified by their teachers as being negatively affected.
In literacy(读写能力) tests there were 76% of 9- and 10-year-olds lacking sleep. This was much higher than the international average of 47% of primary pupils needing more sleep and 57% among the secondary age group.
Other countries with the most sleep-deprived youngsters were New Zealand, Saudi Arabia, Australia, England, Ireland and France. High-performing Finland is also among the most lacking in sleep. Countries with the best records for getting enough sleep include Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Portugal, the Czech Republic, Japan and Malta.
The analysis was part of the huge date-gathering process for global education rankings, the Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study(TIMSS)and Progress in International Reading Literacy Study(PIRLS)
“I think we underestimate the impact of sleep. Our data show that across countries internationally, on average, children who have more sleep achieve higher in maths, science and reading. That is exactly what our data show,” says Chad Minnich of the TIMSS and PIRLS International Study Center.
“It’s the same link for children who are lacking basic nutrition,” says Mr Minnich, based at the Lynch School of Education, Boston College. “If you are unable to concentrate, to attend mentally, you are unable to achieve at your best level, because your mind and body are in need of something more basic. Sleep is a fundamental need for all children. If teachers report such large proportions of children suffering from lack of sleep, it’s having a significant impact. But worse than that, teachers are having to adjust their instruction based on those children who are suffering from a lack of sleep. The children who are suffering from a lack of sleep are driving down instruction.”
That means that even the children who are getting enough sleep are still suffering from this sleep-related lowering. What did the researchers of Boston College try to find?
| A．Why children don’t get enough sleep |
| B．How many hours children sleep every night |
| C．The relationship between sleep and test results |
| D．The relationship between sleep and health |
Many children suffer from sleep deprivation because _________.
| A．they sit in front of the TV for too long |
| B．they can hardly sleep soundly and deeply |
| C．their homework occupies too much of their time |
| D．modern technological devices consume a lot of their time |
Which of the following countries has the most sleep-deprived students?
| A．Japan | B．Malta |
| C．Finland | D．Portugal |
Why are children who get enough sleep also victims?
| A．Because they are disturbed by sleep-deprived students |
| B．Because teaching is driven down by sleep-deprived students |
| C．Because they have to spend time helping sleep-deprived students |
| D．Because the teachers waste time disciplining sleep-deprived students |
Researchers are placing robotic dogs in the homes of lonely old people to determine whether they can improve the quality of life for humans. Alan Beck, an expert in human-animal relationship, and Nancy Edwards, a professor of nursing, are leading the animal-assisted study concerning the influence of robotic dogs on old people's depression, physical activity, and life satisfaction. “No one will argue that an older person is better off being more active, challenged, or stimulated, Edwards points out. "The problem is how we promote that, especially for those without friends or help. A robotic dog could be a solution. ”
In the study, the robot, called AIBO, is placed for six weeks in the houses of some old people who live alone. Before placing AIBO in the home, re-searchers will collect baseline data for six weeks. These old people will keep a diary to note their feelings and activity before and after AIBO. Then, the researchers will review the data to determine if it has inspired any changes in the life of its owner.
“I talk to him all the time, and he responds to my voice，” says a seventy-year-old lady, “When I'm watching TV, he'll stay in my arms until he wants down. He has a mind of his own. ”
The AIBOs respond to certain orders. The researchers say they have some advantages over live dogs, especially for old people. Often the elderly are disabled and cannot care for an animal by walking it or playing with it. A robotic dog removes exercise and feeding concerns.
"At the beginning, it was believed that no one would relate to the robotic dog, because it was metal and not furry，" Beck says. "But it's amazing how quickly we have given up that belief. "
"Hopefully, down the road, these robotic pets could become a more-valuable health helper. They will record their masters' blood pressure, oxygen levels, or heart rhythms. AIBOs may even one day have games that can help stimulate older people's minds. " The purpose of Beck and Edwards' study is to __________.
| A．understand human-animal relationship |
| B．make lonely old peoples life better |
| C．find the causes of old people's loneliness |
| D．promote the animal-assisted research |
In the research, the old people are asked to __________
| A．note the activities of AIBOs |
| B．keep AIBOs at home for 12 weeks |
| C．record their feelings and activity |
| D．analyze the collected information |
What is the advantage of AIBO over live dogs?
| A．It is easier to keep at home. |
| B．It can help the disabled people. |
| C．It responds to all the human orders. |
| D．It can watch TV with its owner. |
The author seems to suggest that the future robotic dogs may __________.
| A．cure certain diseases |
| B．keep old people active |
| C．change people's beliefs |
| D．look more like real dogs |
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 |
Among the most popular books being written today are those which are usually classified as science fiction. Hundreds of titles are published every year and are read by all kinds of people. Furthermore, some of the most successful films of recent years have been based on science fiction stories.
It is often thought that science fiction is a fairly new development in literature, but its ancestors can be found in books written hundreds of years ago. These books were often concerned with the presentation of some form of ideal society, a theme which is still often found in modern stories.
Most of the classics of science fiction, however, have been written within the last one hundred years. Books by writers such as Jules Verne and H. G. Wells, to mention just two well-known authors, have been translated in many languages. Modern science fiction writers don't write about men from Mars or space adventure stories. They are more interested in predicting the results of technical developments on society and the human mind, or in imagining future worlds which are a reflection of the world which we live in now. Because of this their writing has obvious political undertones.
In an age where science fact frequently over-takes science fiction, the writers may find it difficult to keep ahead of scientific advances. Those who are sufficiently clear-sighted to see the way we are going, however, may provide a valuable lesson on how to deal with the problems which society will inevitably face as it tries to master its new technology and come to terms with a continually changing view of the world. Most of the classics of science fiction have been written within __________.
| A．the last few hundred years |
| B．the last one hundred years |
| C．the last two hundred years |
| D．the last three hundred years |
Modern science fiction writers are interested in __________
| A．writing about men from Mars |
| B．writing about everything but politics |
| C．forecasting the results of technical develop-ments and imagining the future world |
| D．writing space adventure stories |
Science fiction writers may provide a valuable les-son on how to deal with the problems of __________
| A．conflict used by different political theories |
| B．adopting new technology and adapting quickly to its effects on society |
| C．conflict caused by different religious beliefs |
| D．space adventure |
Writing Science Fiction & Fantasy
by Isaac & Anderson
Price： $11. 86
Availability： In Stock. Ships from and sold by Amazon, com.
This how-to book is divided into four parts ：“Story - telling ”，“ Ideas and Foundations ”，and two sections on mechanics, markets, and dealing with editors. Isaac talks about “Plotting”，“Dialog”，and“Revisions”，but Andersons technical essay on pre-paring a scientifically valid world couldn't be better. Masterpieces
by Orson Scott Card
Price： $11. 36
Availability： In Stock. Ships from and sold by Amazon, com.
It may not include every reader's choices for the top science fiction of the 20th century, but it lives up to its title. There 're 27 famous stories by the biggestnames and best writers, for example, Bears Discover Fire by Terry Bisson, and Snow by John Crowley. Masterpieces isn't an anthology (文选）for well-read fans. However, it is a great book (or new science fiction readers.
World Building
by Ben Bova
Price： $16. 99
Availability： In Stock. Ships from and sold by Amazon, com.
Another in Ben Bova 's series on science fiction writing. While it may take you a little more than seven days，when you're done, your knowledge will be greatly increased. It is designed to give science fiction writers the solid grounding they need to make their fictions read like fact. World Building is to help writers transport readers from one world to another through words, tables and diagrams.
End in Fire
by Syne Mitchell
Price： $6. 99
Availability： Only 2 left in stock—order soon by Amazon, com.
Astronaut Claire Logan is living her dream working on the space station Unity. But two days be-fore her mission ends, Earth is engulfed (吞没）in a nuclear war. Helpless to contact her family, Claire refuses to give up. But when Unity rescues a Chinese space station from certain death, Claire discovers that the war on Earth has come to space and she must make a final stand. The four books are all about __________.
| A．science fiction writers |
| B．science fiction writing |
| C．science fiction |
| D．science fiction fans |
Who is the author of Bears Discover Fire"!
| A．Orson Scott Card. |
| B．Ben Bova. |
| C．Syne Mitchell. |
| D．Terry Bisson. |
Which of the following books is most probably difficult to buy?
| A．End in Fire. |
| B．Writing Science Fiction & Fantasy. |
| C．Masterpieces |
| D．World Building. |
What can we learn from the above information?
| A．World Building helps writers to improve by story-telling. |
| B．Masterpieces is suitable for new science readers. |
| C．Isaac is good at writing essays on preparing a scientifically valid world. |
| D．End in Fire tells readers more than one story. |
An underwater robot that can hear the calls of whales, and to help ships to avoid them, has just been successfully tested in the Bahamas.
The scheme relies on a fish-shaped glider that moves freely through the ocean. It can dive down as far as 200 meters below the surface and direct itself by shifting a weight from fore to aft. A microphone attached to the bottom of the glider can pick up calls from all whales, including the high frequency call of the beaked whale, which until now has been difficult to detect. The glider returns periodically to the surface to radio its data back to base, or if that's too far away, it can call a satellite phone and send its information anywhere in the world.
"We are entering a new era of underwater sensing' says Jim Theriault of Defence Research and Development Canada, in Dartmouth, Nova Scotia who ran the trial. "We can put a glider in the Bahamas and monitor it in Nova Scotia. ”
The hope is that naval or other ocean-going operations that use sonar (声呐）will be able to more easily track where whales are, and so avoid using their noisy equipment when they are close by. There is circumstantial evidence that sonar can upset whales and a number of strandings (搁浅）have been seen shortly after naval sonar operations. “We're trying to lower the potential risk by knowing the animals are there，” says Theriault. The shape of the underwater robot is like __________
| A．a man |
| B．a fish |
| C．a snake |
| D．a turtle |
The underwater robot is built to __________.
| A．help whales move to the Bahamas |
| B．help whales give birth to their young |
| C．help ships avoid whales |
| D．help humans kill more whales |
To radio its data back to base, the robot has to __________
| A．dive down as far as 200 meters below the surface |
| B．stay deep in the water |
| C．call a satellite phone |
| D．come to the surface periodically |
The best title for this passage is “ __________ ”.
| A．Whales are in danger |
| B．Whales are difficult to find |
| C．Robot built to kill whales |
| D．Robot built to spy on whales |
Which of the following statements is FALSE?
| A．Whales can be disturbed by naval sonar operations. |
| B．Whales can be disturbed by noisy equipment. |
| C．Whales can be disturbed by noisy ocean-going operations. |
| D．Whales' strandings have nothing to do with naval sonar operations. |
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