In some science fiction movies, evil robots refuse to die, no matter how hard people fight back.
Now science fiction has become science fact. For the first time, scientists have made a robot that can take a beating (挨打) and keep on going. Scientists from Cornell University made the robot, which looks like a spider with four legs.
Until now, even the most advanced (先进的) robot was almost certain to break down when it was damaged. That is because its computer inside simply doesn’t know how to make the machine work after its shape has changed.
To deal with this problem, the scientists put eight motors (发动机) and two sensors (传感器) that read how the machine is working. They all give signals to the machine’s software. Using this information, the computer can then figure out the machine’s shape at any moment.
The new technology is a big advance in robot-making, scientists say, and it’s far from scary. It may someday help scientists create better artificial (假的) arms and legs and give new freedom to people who lose them. It might also help scientists understand how people and animals figure out their own sense of place in space.
“It has been difficult to design robots that can work well when the environment changes or when it’s damaged,” says Olaf Sporns of Indiana University in US. “With this work, we are nearer to solving this problem.”
1.Why do robots easily break down when they are damaged?
A. They cannot repair themselves.
B. The computer has changed a lot.
C. They have no computers inside.
D. The computer cannot work if the robot changes.
2.The new technology allows the robot to _________.
A. do house work for humans
B. keep working after being damaged
C. remember a lot of information
D. tell people where it is
3.The underlined word “them” in Paragraph 5 refers to ________.
A. sensors
B. robots
C. arms and legs
D. scientists
4.How do the sensors in the robot work?
A. They can replace the computer when it’s broken.
B. They can find out where the damage comes from.
C. They help the computer learn the robot’s condition.
D. They can send signals to the person who uses the robot.
When William Brown taught at Boston University, he once thought about the people that he hadn’t thanked in his life. They taught him, encouraged (鼓励) him or cared a lot about him.
Tina Johnson was a teacher. She once taught William geography, and William loved geography all his life. So he wrote a letter of thanks to her.
He got the teacher’s letter later. It began, “My dear Willie”. He was happy. Now over 50, he didn’t think someone would called him “Willie”. Here is that letter.
My dear Willie,
I cannot tell you how much your letter meant to me. I am in my eighties, living alone in a small room and cooking my own meals. You will be interested to know that I taught school for 50 years and yours is the first letter of appreciation (感激) I ever got. It came on a cold morning and it made me feel very warm.
......
William cried when he read the letter. She was one of the people that William hadn’t thanked in his past. She helped him to believe in himself. He would never forget her.
There are some people we should always remember, because they helped to shape our life. William Brown found a way to show his appreciation—he wrote them letters.
Who are some of the people that you need to say thank you to in your past? It may be too late to say “Thanks”.
1.William thought about the people that he hadn’t thanked in his past when he ________.
A. was in a hospital
B. worked in a library
C. was over 50 years old
D. studied at a university
2.The teacher ________ when William was young.
A. got her first letter of appreciation
B. helped him to believe in himself
C. encouraged him to be active
D. made friends with him
3.What can we learn about the teacher?
A. She was over 80 years old.
B. She lived with her children.
C. She taught geography for 40 years.
D. She got the letter on a warm afternoon.
4.How did William show his appreciation to the people that he hadn’t thanked?
A. He called them B. He visited them.
C. He wrote them letters. D. He sent them gifts.
B)请先阅读下面短文，掌握其大意，然后用方框所给的词的适当形式填空，并将答案填写到答题卷的相应位置，每个词限用一次。（每小题1分；共10分）
influence between foreign who difficult
complete spending different such learn
Now more than 40 million 1. around the world are learning Chinese, according to a report. The relationship 2.the United States and China is becoming more and more important in the world. This has really 3. the growth of Chinese language learning in U.S.
I am Chris from the United States. I am one of the many people 4. are learning Chinese. I am studying at a Confucius Institute(孔子学院)in New York. There are 10 students in our class. Some are over thirty years old. Some are middle school students. Our teacher comes from Beijing. He is fun and often tells us interesting things in China.
I think Chinese is 5. to learn. The biggest challenge for American learners is the writing. Chinese is 6. different from any other language in the world. It will take me a lot of time to learn enough Chinese characters(汉字). But I think there are many benefits (益处) of 7. time in learning Chinese. One important benefit is that it makes me see things from a 8. point of view, because Chinese is 9. a different language from English. I think for American the students most important benefit is that 10. a challenging language can open up their eyes.
完形填空 (共15小题，每小题1分，计15分)
阅读下面短文，掌握其大意，然后从各题所给的四个选项中选出一个最佳答案。
An old carpenter(木匠) was ready to retire. His boss was to see the good worker go. He asked the carpenter he could build just one more house. The carpenter said yes, his mind was not on his work any more.
He used poor materials and worked on the house . When the carpenter finished his work, the boss the front-door key to him, "This is your house," he said, "A for you."
What a surprise! What a ! If he had known he was building his house, he would have done it differently. Now he had to live in the house he had poorly built.
it is with us. Sometimes we build our carelessly. At important points we do not try our best. Then with a shame we look at the situation we have . We find that we are now living in the house we have poorly built. But we don't have a to make it all over again.
Think of as the carpenter. Think about your life. Build it . It is the only life you will ever build because life is a do-it-yourself project.
Your life today is the of your attitudes and choices you made in the past. Your life tomorrow will be that of your attitudes and choices you make today.
1.A. glad B. nervous C. ready D. sorry
2.A. if B. when C. how D. why
3.A. and B. but C. or D. so
4.A. carefully B. completely C. carelessly D. successfully
5.A. handed B. left C. sold D. threw
6.A. gift B. promise C. choice D. question
7.A. task B. wisdom C. shame D. stress
8.A. real B. expensive C. old D. own
9.A. Neither B. So C. Nor D. As
10.A. studies B. lives C. jobs D. feelings
11.A. created B. changed C. discussed D. affected
12.A. plan B. chance C. method D. pleasure
13.A. himself B. herself C. myself D. yourself
14.A. wisely B. peacefully C. rapidly D. widely
15.A. talent B. wealth C. result D. difference
---How about going out for a walk?
---Sorry. I prefer_________ at home rather than ___________ out for a walk.
A. to stay; go B. to stay; going C. staying ; go D. staying; to go
of the students are going to visit the factory next week.
A. Three fifth B. Third fifths
C. Three fives D. Three fifths
