Humans have been keeping animals as pets for tens of thousands of years, but Dr Jean-Loup Rault, an animal scientist at the University of Melbourne in Australia, believes new companions are coming: robot pets.
“Technology is moving very fast,” Rault told ABC News, “The Tamagotchi in the early 1990s was really the first robotic pet, and now Sony and other big companies have improved them a lot.”
This may not sit well with pet lovers. After all, who would choose a plastic toy over a lovely puppy? But Rault argues that the robotic kind has a lot going for it: “You don’t have to feed it, you don’t have to walk it, it won’t make a mess in your house, and you can go on a holiday without feeling guilty.” The technology also benefits those who are allergic to pets, short on space, or fearful of real animals.
It’s not clear whether robot pets can replace real ones. But studies do suggest that we can bond with these smart machines. People give their cars names and kids give their toy animals life stories. It’s the same with robots. When Sony stopped its repair service for its robot dog Aibo in March 2014, owners in Japan held funerals.
As an animal welfare researcher, Rault is concerned about how robotic pets could affect our attitudes towards live animals. “If we become used to a robotic companion that doesn’t need food, water or exercises, perhaps it will change how humans care about other living beings,” he said.
So are dogs and cats a thing of the past, as Rault predicts? For those who grew up with living and breathing pets, the mechanical kind might not do. But for our next generation who are in constant touch with smart technology, a future in which lovely pets needn’t have a heartbeat might not be a far-fetched dream.What does the underlined phrase “sit well with” means?
| A．be refused by | B．be beneficial to |
| C．make a difference to | D．receive support from |
What are the advantages of robot pets?
a. They are plastic and feel smooth.
b. Owners needn’t worry about them when going out.
c. They can help cure allergies（过敏）.
d. They save space and costs.
| A．ab | B．bc | C．bd | D．cd |
We can learn from the passage that___________.
| A．Sony is the first company to produce robot pets Aibo. |
| B．People can develop strong bond（联系、关系） with their robot pets. |
| C．Rault thinks robot pets still have a long way to go. |
| D．Robot toys may help people care more about living beings. |
The passage mainly tells us___________.
| A．the advantages of robot toys |
| B．the popularity of robot pets |
| C．living pets are dying out |
| D．robot pets are coming |
Teen Climbing Camp 2014
This 5-day climbing camp is suitable for teenagers between the ages of 13 and 18 who have an interest in rock climbing. The climbing days are designed for beginners and those who have some basic experience in a gym or outdoors. Participants will find themselves challenged physically and mentally.
Rock Dimensions camps are designed to be a positive and memorable experience by providing healthy communication between participants, individual goal setting, and challenges that lead to personal growth.
Dates
Monday, June 29-Friday, July 3
Monday, July 27-Friday, July 31
Locations
Climbing Tower at Footsloggers
Linville Gorge and Table Rock area
Local climbing areas near Boone
Responsibilities
Participants will meet Rock Dimensions guides at our location each morning and at the end of each day. Rock Dimensions will provide all climbing items, including a safety rope, a helmet and climbing shoes for each participant. Participants are responsible for bringing their own lunch, water, small backpack, appropriate clothing, and personal items like sun cream, etc.
Pre-camp planning
Participants will receive the following information in their registration(注册) packet Medical Form, Responsibility Agreement, Clothing/Equipment List, and Directions.
Cost
$575/person for the 5-day camp
$325/person for the first 3 days
Anyone interested in participating in just the last two days of the camp should call to discuss cing and necessary skills/experience.According to the text, Rock Dimensions camps will _______.
| A．probably impress participants deeply |
| B．provide a few competitions |
| C．help the participants set their life goals |
| D．check the records of personal growth |
What of the following do participants need to bring with them?
| A．A safety rope. | B．A helmet. |
| C．Climbing shoes. | D．Appropriate clothing. |
If Paul wants to participate in the climbing camp from July 27 to July 29 and his brother from July 27 to July 31, it will cost them _______.
| A．575 dollars | B．650 dollars |
| C．900 dollars | D．1,150 dollars |
What can we infer from the text?
| A．Some experience is required of the participants. |
| B．It’ll be hard for teens to experience the climbing. |
| C．Parents are required to stay with their children. |
| D．Guides will talk about the prices |
Every day we are adding more and more vacation ideas, destinations, tours, and articles. As you explore our website，you will find there is an ever-growing collection of things that will help make your vacation easier and more affordable．
We change our featured destinations very frequently so be sure to keep coming back to see what new ideas we have for your family vacation．We feature a different state，park, and city destination on the front page of the website．These change frequently, so be sure to sign up for our newsletter so you can be sure to keep up with all the new information．
Another great feature we are offering is Guest Articles．These may come from a travel professional，author, parent or child about their travel ideas or offers．These informative articles are great to read and are perfect for discovering valuable tips and tricks for the travel less stressful．Plus，in many articles you will discover some hidden gems(珍品)that you probably miss if you did not know about them．
One of the best things about our website is our ability to get you discounted Tours and Attraction Passes to the places you want to go most．This is a fantastic way to plan ahead and have your tours and passes paid for and pick them up before you leave your home．Now that is a helpful way to go．These programs can save you over 50％of what you could expect to pay when you arrive．And，we are adding new tours and programs every week．Be sure to check it out．
You can be sure we are working hard for you so that you can relax on your vacation. Let us do all the leg work for you so you can simply enjoy your family vacation!Which of the following shows the organization of the text?(P=Paragraph)
What does the writer want to do by writing this text?
| A．To give people tips on family vacations． |
| B．To offer travelers featured destinations． |
| C．To attract readers to surf a tourist website． |
| D．To introduce hidden gems for traveling． |
What can we learn from Guest Articles?
| A．steps to sign up for the family vacation website． |
| B．Tips on keeping up with new travel information． |
| C．Tips and tricks for a comfortable trip. |
| D．Tricks for enjoying a free family vacation |
Which isn’t the benefit that the website brings to us?
| A．We can get discounted Tours and Attraction Passes |
| B．We can get some information of new tours and programs |
| C．We can have our Passes in hand when starting off． |
| D．We can enjoy a family vacation with leg work． |
A man, who sometimes takes my bus, is in rags. His life seems different from that of the others. He looks exhausted and carries nothing. He appears along a downtown street, seemingly out of nowhere. We sometimes want to know where he sleeps at night.
A few weeks ago he boarded the bus. A few stops later, a young woman boarded. She swiped (刷) her bus-card, only to find the machine would not accept it. The driver told her to pay the $2.25 fare. “I just bought this card,” she said. “I paid the money...”
The driver said she could take the card back to the sales office and explain the problem. In the meantime she would have to pay the fare for that day. The woman became confused and distressed. The rest of us just watched, wondering how the problem would be solved. Suddenly the man rose from his seat, dropped a few coins into the fare box.
“You’re lucky,” the bus driver said quietly. “He paid for you.” Silence fell over the bus. The rest of us had watched the woman’s discomfort, but he felt it. We lawyers, journalists and business people headed downtown to help fix the world. He fixed her world.
I haven’t seen him since that day. Some people believe angels occasionally drop down and move among us. All I know is that I have a new respect for the simple act of kindness. It speeds us along on our way.According to the first paragraph, the author _______.
| A．thinks highly of the man |
| B．considers the man strange |
| C．knows the man very well |
| D．often gives the man some help |
What does the underlined word “distressed” probably mean?
| A．exited | B．generous |
| C．bored | D．anxious |
What did the writer learn from the man?
| A．to show concern for other people. |
| B．to lead a happy life like the man. |
| C．to share what he has with us. |
| D．to believe that people are born kind. |
A strong imagination does children a lot of good. The following are 5 benefits of encouraging children’s imagination. As children play different roles, they explore relationships between family members, friends and co-workers and learn more about them. For example, playing a doctor, they imagine how doctors care for their patients; playing house, they learn more about how parents feel about their children.
Build self-confidence. Young children have very little control over their lives. Imagining oneself as a builder of tall buildings or a superhero defending the planet is giving power to a child.
Help intellectual（智力的）growth. Children who can see a king’s castle in a mound（堆）of sand are learning to think in an abstract（抽象的）way. This skill is important in school.
Kids who play with their friends do a lot of talking. This helps increase their vocabulary, improve sentence structure and communication skills.
Work out fears. When children role-play about the big, bad monster under the bed, they gain a sense of control over him and he doesn’t seem so big or so bad.
| A．Develop social skills. |
| B．Practice language skills. |
| C．Be willing to share. |
| D．It helps them develop confidence in their abilities. |
E. Imagination can help children help each other.
F. Using the imagination is the beginning of abstract thought.
G. Playing roles can help children work out their fears and worries.
For kids and many adults, a San Diego vacation means theme parks and other attractions. Before heading to a park call or check its website for updated hours of operation; many parks have seasonal or holiday hours. Ticket prices listed here are for general admission（入场费）, single-day use only.
Seaworld San Diego
A 6-minute tide（海潮）called Journey to Atlantis, which is to open in late May, tells the legend（传说）of the island nation. After the ride of Greek fishing boats, folks can visit a new exhibit of dolphins, which have not been on display at the park since 1998.
DETAILS: General admission is $ 46.95 for adults, $ 37.95 for children aged 3-9, free for children 2 and younger. 1-800-380-3203 or www.seaworld.com
San Diego Zoo
There’s not much in the way of new attractions. The zoo has a new panda cub（幼兽）, Mei Sheng. Nighttime Zoo, a program popular with families, starts June 26.
DETAILS: General admission is $21 for adults, $14 for children aged 3-11, free for children 2 and younger. 1 -（619）-234-5331 or www.Sandiegozoo.org
Maritime Museum of San Diego
The HMS Surprise, the 18th-century British warship featured in the film Master and commander, is on exhibit though Nov.30.
DETAILS: The ship is available for tours from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. daily. Admission is $ 8 for adults,$ 6 for seniors and children aged 13-17, $ 5 for kids aged 6-12, and free for kids 5 and younger. 1-（619）-234-8135 or www.sdmaritime.org
Old Town Trolley Tours
Visiting relatives or friends in San Diego? They can get a hometown pass and ride or free with your paid admission.
DETAILS: The main ticket booth（售票亭）is in Old Town at 4010 Twiggs St. Hours are from 9 am to 5 pm, daily $ 25.www. historictours.com/sandiego.The purpose of this text is to_______.
| A．warn | B．amuse |
| C．persuade | D．guide |
If you want to enjoy the performance of dolphins, you should go to________.
| A．Seaworld San Diego | B．San Diego Zoo |
| C．Maritime Museum of San Diego | D．Old Town Trolley Tours |
If a couple visits San Diego Zoo with their children, one aged 3 and the other 2, the admission will be____________.
| A．$35 | B．$49 | C．$56 | D．$70 |
According to the text, Old Town Trolley Tours can be well described by the saying________.
| A．“Love at first sight.” |
| B．“Kill two birds with one stone” |
| C．“Easy come, easy go.” |
| D．“Strike the iron while it is hot.” |
It can be inferred from the text that___________.
| A．San Diego Zoo will attract the largest number of children |
| B．there may be some stories about the island of Atlantis |
| C．tickets during the holidays are more expensive |
| D．the film Master and commander can be seen in Maritime Museum of San Diego |
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