| 1. 难度：中等 | |
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阅读理解。 Robots performing tasks according to a predetermined set of instructions are nothing new.But robots able to learn how to cook by watching videos are a completely different approach, which is conducted by a group of researchers at the University of Maryland.
If you have posted a video of your favorite recipe on the popular website YouTube, chances are that it will be used by a robot.University of Maryland's professor Yiannis Aloimonos, leader of the group, said “There exists a large amount of video information on the Internet that our robots can capitalize_on.” “At present, the videos are fed electronically，”said research scientist Cornelia Fermuller.“Originally, we took our own videos, our cameras looking at us doing the cooking，”she explained.“And, as the robot advances, it reacts to good quality videos.And it will react to even lower quality homemade videos.” So far, the robot named Julia can make a simple salad by breaking each task into basic parts, such as grasping a spoon, bringing it to the bowl, stirring the salad and observing the results. But why teach a robot how to understand a video when it can easily follow a fixed program？Aloimonos believes predetermined instructions lack flexibility.He thinks one of the problems is how to make the robot understand and use what it learns during a certain task, the socalled feedback (反馈意见); another is the introduction of language. “I believe it will take quite some time before the robots are able to understand metaphorical (比喻性的) language，”he added.“But，” he said，“we don't need that to create a new world where the robots will be working for us.” 1.The underlined phrase “capitalize on” in Paragraph 2 probably can be replaced by ________. A．take hold of B．make use of C．keep track of D．catch sight of 2.Aloimonos probably agrees that at present the robot ________. A．can not fully digest what it learns B．can not make a simple salad C．can follow homemade videos D．can understand metaphorical language 3.Robots are taught to understand a video mainly because ________. A．they can easily follow fixed programs B．they are smart enough to learn cooking C．cooking videos are more interesting to watch D．predetermined instructions are not flexible 4.Which of the following might best serve as the title of the passage? A．Robots Creating a New World B．Robots Making Cooking Videos C．Robots Learning to Cook by Watching Videos D．Robots Performing Tasks by Following Instructions
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| 2. 难度：中等 | |
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阅读理解。 Life in 2060 Let us suppose it is now about A．D. 2060. Let's make believe (假装；虚构) it is about 45 years from now. Of course, things have changed and life is very different. Voyages to the moon are being made every day. It is as easy to take a holiday on the moon today as it was for the people in 1960 to take a holiday in Europe. At a number of scenic spots on the moon, many hotels have been built. The hotels are airconditioned, naturally. In order that everyone can enjoy the beautiful scenery on the moon, every room has at least one picture window. Everything imaginable is provided for entertainment of young and old. What are people eating now? People are still eating food. They haven't yet started to take on heir (继承) supply of energy directly as electrical current or as nuclear power. They may some day. But many foods now come in pill form, and the food that goes into the pill continues to come mainly from green plants. Since there are several times as many people in the world today as there were a hundred years ago, most of our planet's surface has to be filled. The deserts are irrigated with water and crops are no longer destroyed by pests. The harvest is always good. Farming, of course, is very highly developed. Very few people have to work on the farm. It is possible to run the farm by just pushing a few buttons now and then. People are now largely vegetarians (素食者). You see, as the number of people increases, the number of animal decreases. Therefore, people have to be vegetarians and we are healthier both in our bodies and in our minds, and we know the causes and cure of disease and pain, and it is possible to get rid of diseases. No one has to be ill any more. Such would be our life in 2060. 1.When was the passage written? A．In about A．D. 2060. B．In about 1960. C．In about 2014. D．In about 2015. 2.According to the passage, what will be on the moon in about A．D. 2060? A．Many other animals. B．Many tourists. C．Many plants. D．A sea. 3.What will people eat then according to the passage? A．Biscuits in pill form. B．Foods in pill form. C．Foods in water form. D．Foods in gas form. 4.The passage tells us that in 2060, ________ on the earth than now. A．the crops are getting better B．there are more pests C．there are fewer people D．there is less water
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| 3. 难度：中等 | |
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阅读理解。 Many of the world's countries have reached or are approaching zero population growth (ZPG). Nearly all such lands are economically well developed. They include much of Europe (including Russia), the United States, Canada, Japan, and Australia. As the rate of natural increase (RNI) declines, two things happen. First, the population begins to decline if the loss is not balanced by immigration. Second, a country's population ages because there are fewer births. Is achieving ZPG good or bad? What happens when a country's population begins to drop? Many people, after all, believe that population decline is a good thing. But is it good for everyone? Does everyone agree?
An aging population can create many problems. Senior citizens require more health care and medical attention. Rather than paying into retirement programs, they begin to draw from their pensions. In the US, the Social Security program, according to many experts, will be used up by 2018. It will pay out more money than it takes in. Additionally, a great number of jobs go begging in search of people willing or able to do them. Many of these jobs are entrylevel positions that pay low wages. With an aging population, who will fill them? At the other extreme, some positions require a large number of training and highly specialized skills. Who will fill these positions as retirees leave the workforce? The answer to the problem of declining and aging population is simple: increased migration. Today many people, particularly those from less developed countries, are migrating in search of employment. Many are willing to take jobs that cannot (or will not) be filled by the_domestic_population. Others are well educated and highly skilled. Both groups contribute to a country's economy progress in many ways. Further, they add to the richness of a country's culture. Of greatest importance, perhaps, is the fact that they have become absolutely necessary to the economy of many lands. As you can see, for many countries and for most immigrants, migration is a winwin situation. 1.In the writer's view, which of the following statements is TRUE? A．Not everyone agrees that achieving ZPG is absolutely good. B．Achieving ZPG is every country's aim in spite of its side effects. C．Achieving ZPG is bad for senior citizens. D．Achieving ZPG is good for employment. 2.According to the passage, the best way to solve the problem of declining and aging population is ________. A．to improve the health care system B．to increase RNI C．to increase employment D．to increase migration 3.The underlined words “the domestic population” can be replaced by ________. A．people within the country B．people from developing countries C．people without a college education D．people living abroad 4.The main idea of the last paragraph is ________. A．the advantages of increased migration B．the problem of declining and aging population C．how to increase migration D．some ways to enrich a country's culture
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