This Way to Dreamland Daydreaming means people think about something pleasant, especially when this makes them forget what they should be doing． Daydreamers have a bad reputation for being unaware of what’s happening around them． They can seem forgetful and clumsy．1.They annoy us because they seem to be ignoring us and missing the important things．But daydreamers are also responsible for some of the greatest ideas and achievements in human history．2.Can you imagine what kind of world we would have without such ideas and inventions?So how can you come up with brilliant daydreams and avoid falling over tree roots or otherwise looking like a fool?First, understand that some opportunities(机会) for daydreaming are better than others． Feeling safe and relaxed will help you to slip into daydreams．3.And if you want to improve your chances of having a creative idea while you’re daydreaming, try to do it while you are involved in another task—preferably something simple, like taking a shower or walking, or even making meaningless drawings．It’s also important to know how to avoid daydreams for those times when you really need to concerntrate． “Mindfulness”, being focused, is a tool that some people use to avoid falling asleep．4.Finally, you never know what wonderful idea might strike while your mind has moved slowly away．5.Always remember that your best ideas might come when your head is actually in the clouds．
A. Having interesting things to think about also helps． |
B. They stare off into space and wander by themselves． |
C. Without wandering minds, we wouldn’t have relatively, Coke or Post-it notes． |
D. At one time, daydreaming was thought to be a cause of some mental illnesses． |
E. It involves slow, steady breathing for self-control that helps people stay calm and attentive． |
F. Daydreams are often very simple and direct, quite unlike sleep dreams, which may be hard to understand． |
G. Therefore, it’s a good idea to keep a notebook or voice recorder nearby when you’re in the daydream zone． |
You are given many opportunities in life to choose to be a victim or a creator. When you choose to be a victim, the world is a cold and difficult place. “They” did things to you which caused all of your pain and suffering. “They” are wrong and bad, and life is terrible as long as “they” are around. Or you may blame yourself for all your problems, thus internalizing(内化) your victimization. The truth is, your life is likely to stay that way as long as you feel a need to blame yourself or others.
Those who choose to be creators look at life quite differently. They know there are individuals who might like to control their lives, but they don’ t let this get in the way. They know they have their weaknesses, yet they don’t blame themselves when they fail. Whatever happens, they have choice in the matter. They believe their dance with each sacred(神圣的) moment of life is a gift and that storms are a natural part of life which can bring the rain needed for emotional and spiritual growth.
Victims and creators live in the same physical world and deal with many of the same physical realities, yet their experience of life is worlds apart. Victims relish (沉溺) in anger, guilt, and other emotions that cause others—and even themselves—to feel like victims, too. Creators consciously choose love, inspiration, and other qualities which inspire not only themselves, but all around them. Both victims and creators always have choice to determine the direction of their lives.
In reality, all of us play the victim or the creator at various points in our lives. One person, on losing a job or a special relationship, may feel as if it is the end of the world and sink into terrible suffering for months, years, or even a lifetime. Another with the same experience may choose to first experience the grief, then accept the loss and soon move on to be a powerful creative force in his life. In every moment and every circumstance, you can choose to have a fuller, richer life by setting a clear intention to transform the victim within, and by inviting into your life the powerful creator that you are.
1.What does the word “they” in Paragraph 1 probably refer to?
A. People and things around you.
B. Opportunities and problems.
C. Creators and their choices.
D. Victims and their sufferings.
2.According to Paragraph 2, creators __________.
A. seem willing to experience failures in life
B. possess the ability to predict future life
C. handle ups and downs of life wisely
D. have potential to create something new
3.The examples mentioned in Paragraph 4 show that __________.
A. strong attachment to (沉浸在) sufferings in life pulls people into victims
B. people need family support to deal with challengers in life
C. it takes creators quite a long time to get rid of their pains
D. one’s experiences determine his attitude toward life
4.What is the author’s purpose in writing this passage?
A. To define victims and creators.
B. To evaluate victims against creators.
C. To explain the relationship between victims and creators.
D. To suggest the transformation from victims to creators.
Whether in the home or the workplace, social robots are going to become a lot more common in the next few years. Social robots are about to bring technology to the everyday world in a more humanized way, said Cynthia Breazeal, chief scientist at the robot company Jibo.
While household robots today do the normal housework, social robots will be much more like companions than mere tools. For example, these robots will be able to distinguish when someone is happy or sad. This allows them to respond more appropriately to the user.
The Jibo robot, arranged to ship later this year, is designed to be a personalized assistant. You can talk to the robot, ask it questions, and make requests for it to perform different tasks. The robot doesn’ t just deliver general answers to questions; it responds based on what it learns about each individual in the household. It can do things such as reminding an elderly family member to take medicine or taking family photos.
Social robots are not just finding their way into the home. They have potential applications in everything from education to health care and are already finding their way into some of these spaces.
Fellow Robots is one company bringing social robots to the market. The company’ s “ Oshbot” robot is built to assist customers in a store, which can help the customers find items and help guide them to the product’ s location in the store. It can also speak different languages and make recommendations for different items based on what the customer is shopping for.
The more interaction the robot has with humans, the more it learns. But Oshbot, like other social robots, is not intended to replace workers, but to work alongside other employees. “ We have technologies to train social robots to do things not for us, but with us,” said Breazeal.
1.How are social robots different from household robots?
A. They can control their emotions.
B. They are more like humans.
C. They do the normal housework.
D. They respond to users more slowly.
2.What can a Jibo robot do according to Paragraph 3?
A. Communicate with you and perform operations.
B. Answer your questions and make requests.
C. Take your family pictures and deliver milk.
D. Obey your orders and remind you to take pills.
3.We can learn from the last paragraph that social robots will ______.
A. train employees
B. be our workmates
C. improve technologies
D. take the place of workers
4.What does the passage mainly present?
A. A new design idea of household robots.
B. Marketing strategies for social robots.
C. Information on household robots.
D. An introduction to social robots.
Arriving in Sydney on his own from India, my husband, Rashid, stayed in a hotel for a short time while looking for a house for me and our children.
During the first week of his stay, he went out one day to do some shopping. He came back in the late afternoon to discover that his suitcase was gone. He was extremely worried as the suitcase had all his important papers, including his passport.
He reported the case to the police and then sat there, lost and lonely in a strange city, thinking of the terrible troubles of getting all the paperwork organized again from a distant country while trying to settle down in a new one.
Late in the evening, the phone rang. It was a stranger. He was trying to pronounce my husband’s name and was asking him a lot of questions. Then he said they had found a pile of papers in their trash can(垃圾桶) that had been left out on the footpath.
My husband rushed to their home to find a kind family holding all his papers and documents. Their young daughter had gone to the trash can and found a pile of unfamiliar papers. Her parents had carefully sorted them out, although they had found mainly foreign addresses on most of the documents. At last they had seen a half-written letter in the pile in which my husband had given his new telephone number to a friend.
That family not only restored the important documents to us that day but also restored our faith and trust in people. We still remember their kindness and often send a warm wish their way.
1.What did Rashid plan to do after his arrival in Sydney?
A. Go shopping B. Find a house
C. Join his family D. Take a vacation
2.The girl’s parents got Rashid’s phone number from_________.
A. a friend of his family B. a Sydney policeman
C. a letter in his papers D. a stranger in Sydney
3.What does the underlined word “restored” in the last paragraph mean?
A. Showed B. Sent out
C. Delivered D. Gave back
4.Which of the following can be the best title for the text?
A. From India to Australia. B. Living in a New Country
C. Turning Trash to Treasure. D. In Search of New Friends.
听下面一段材料, 然后回答问题。
1.____________________________________.
2.____________________________________.
3.____________________________________.
4.___________________________________.
听一段材料，回答以下小题。
1.
A. In a bookshop.
B. In a restaurant.
C. In a language center.
2.
A. They are too large.
B. They should be a little larger.
C. They are a bit small.
