Don’t know how to take care of your plants? A little spider-like robot will chase the sunlight, run to shade, dance when it’s doing well and stomp (跺脚) when it needs to be watered.
It’s called the HEXA Plant, a six-legged machine created by Vincross, a robotics company in Beijing, China.
The robot plant will crawl toward the sunlight when it needs it, then will rotate (转动) when it enjoys the sun in order to absorb its rays on all sides. When it needs to cool off, it will look for shade. It also plays with humans and dances when it is happy, moving its legs up and down. But it gets “angry” when it’s thirsty by stomping its legs.
With six legs, the HEXA Plant can move anywhere-in any direction and around any objects in its path. It’s even nimble enough to navigate (导航) unexpected drops, like if it had to suddenly step over a gap between two tabletops. It has a variety of “eyes”, including an infrared sensor (红外线感应器), a distance sensor, and a 720p camera with night vision, which could be very handy if you want it to send it out like a guard dog at night, to go check on any sudden noises. It has a built-in Wifi as well as various ports (USB) to expand its many talents.
So sure, it’ s not as cute as a garden gnome (守护精灵), but it can do a lot more than just stand there and look cute.
The inventor of the cute robot, Sun Tiangi, was inspired by a dead sunflower. He had idea why it died-whether it was because of the lack of sunshine or water. That’s when he had the idea for the walking plant. He says plants are passive. He wants to allow plants to experience movement.
1.What can’t the HEXA Plant do?
A.Find a cool place when it feels hot.
B.Play with people.
C.Drink water when it’s thirsty.
D.Move in any direction.
2.What does the underlined word “nimble” in the forth paragraph mean?
A.Happy. B.Clever. C.Angry. D.Passive.
3.What inspired Sun Tianqi to invent the HEXA Plant?
A.A walking plant. B.A dead sunflower.
C.Sunshine and water. D.A strange animal.
4.Where can we most probably read the passage?
A.In an advertisement. B.In a novel.
C.In a science magazine. D.In a storybook.
The idea of turning recycled plastic bottles into clothing is not new. During the past five years, a large number of clothing companies, businesses and environmental organizations have started turning plastics into fabric to deal with plastic pollution. But there’s a problem with this method. Research now shows that microfibers (微纤维) could be the biggest source of plastic in the sea.
Dr. Mark Browne in Santa Barbara, California, has been studying plastic pollution and microfibers for 10 years. He explains that every time synthetic (合成的) clothes go into a washing machine, a large number of plastic fibers fall off. Most washing machines can’t collect these microfibers. So every time the water gets out of a washing machine, microfibers enter the sewer and finally end up in the sea.
In 2011, Browne wrote a paper stating that a single piece of synthetic clothing can produce more than 1,900 fibers per wash. Browne collected samples (样本) from seawater and freshwater sites around the world, and used a special way to examine each sample. He discovered that every single water sample contained microfibers.
This is bad news for a number of reasons. Plastic can cause harm to sea life when eaten. Studies have also shown that plastic can absorb (吸收) other pollutants.
Based on this evidence, it may seem surprising that companies and organizations have chosen to turn plastic waste into clothing as an environmental “solution”. Even though the science has been around for a while, Browne explains that he’s had a difficult time getting companies to listen. When he asked well-known clothing companies to support Benign by Design, his research project that seeks to get clothes that have a bad effect on humans and the environment out of the market, Browne didn’t get a satisfying answer. Only one women’s clothing company, Eileen Fisher, offered Browne funding.
1.What can we learn from the first paragraph?
A.The use of plastic bottle has been reduced in the past five years.
B.Turning recycled plastic bottles into clothing hasn’t been put into practice.
C.New microfibers have been discovered.
D.Making clothes from plastic bottles can’t reduce the pollution.
2.What’s the main idea of the second paragraph?
A.The relationship between plastic pollution and microfibers.
B.How microfibers end up in the sea.
C.How to wash synthetic clothes.
D.How to prevent plastic pollution.
3.How does Browne’s Benign by Design research project run?
A.It has achieved great success. B.It is facing some difficulties.
C.It is known to very few people. D.It hasn’t got anything done.
4.What’s the best title for the text?
A.Microfibers, the biggest source of plastic in the sea
B.Recycled plastic clothing: solution or pollution?
C.Environmental protection : moving forward or backward?
D.Turning recycled plastic bottles into clothing, a new step in environmental protection
Thomas Panek has completed 20 marathons, however, he made history on Sunday at the New York City Half Marathon.
While visually impaired（视觉障碍）runners usually use human guides, Mr Panek became the first person to complete the race supported by guide dogs. A trio of Labradors - Westley, Waffle and Gus - each accompanied (陪伴) him for a third of the race. The team finished in two hours and 21 minutes.
Mr Panek, who lost his sight in his early 20s, showed that while he appreciated the support of human volunteers, he missed the feeling of independence. In 2015, Mr Panek established the Running Guides programme which trains dogs to support runners.
When selecting his companions for the race, Mr Panek chose siblings Waffle and Westley to join Gus, who is his full-time guide dog. “The relationship is really important. You can’t just pick up the harness (挽带) and go for a run with these dogs,” Mr Panek said. “You’re training with a team no matter what kind of athlete you are, and you want to spend time together in that training camp.”
Each dogs sets its own pace — Westley runs an eight minute mile, while his sister Waffle can cover the same distance in six minutes—and helps Mr Panek avoid obstacles such as kerbs（路缘）and cones (椎体). Each dog wears a special harness and set of running boots, to protect their paws.
Gus was chosen to run the final leg of the race and cross the finish line with Mr Panek. He retired from his duties as a guide dog at the end of the race.
According to Mr Panek, guide dogs give visually impaired people the freedom to “do whatever it is a sighted person does, and sometimes, even run a little faster than them”.
1.In which way did Thomas Panek make history?
A.He set a new record of time in running the half marathon.
B.He is the first blind person who take part in the marathon.
C.He finished the competition with help of human volunteers.
D.He is the first blind person finishing half marathon with guide dogs.
2.What can we learn about Thomas Panek?
A.He stopped running after he lost sight.
B.He enjoyed running with human volunteers.
C.He is the founder of the Running Guides programme.
D.He got the gold medal at the New York City Half Marathon.
3.What do you know about the three dogs?
A.They didn’t get training before the race.
B.Westley runs faster than Waffle.
C.Gus is Panek’s full-time guide dog.
D.Westley retired after the race.
4.The passage is ______.
A.an essay B.a news report C.a biography D.a review
The Summer Acting＆Musical Theater program, which starts on Friday, July 3 and ends on Thursday, July 23, is created for talented students who have been inspired by musical theater.
The program develops the abilities of experienced performers who are serious about the field and eager to work hard. Our goal is to help you grow creatively through full-time, college-level theater training under the direction of popular professional performers and teachers.
The students can improve their performance skills and can get the knowledge about the history of theater, the style of theater and so on. Students will complete the program with improved audition（试演）skills.
Classes aim to improve your command of body, mind and voice. Students will take a trip to see at least one professional production with program teachers.
An exhibition of the students’ class work will be presented at the conclusion of the program to family, friends, students from other Summer College programs, and the University community.
Program Costs: Accommodation: $3, 359; Traffic: $2, 234.
Audition requirements
Auditions should include the following video materials:
Two different songs;
One age-suitable monologue（独白）;
One short dance part;
A personal statement regarding your background and training, experience in performances, and personal goals in theater;
Each part of the audition should be about one minute in length;
You should be the only person shown in the audition;
The audition is given online with your application.
Typical day
9:00 am to noon classes focus on musical theater, including acting, voice, movement, dance and scene study.
1:00 to 4:00 pm classes involve additional work in acting, movement, and voice, along with rehearsals（排练）for public performances.
1.What can we learn about the program?
A.It lasts for a month.
B.It is intended for anyone who is interested in theater.
C.It offers students chance to act together with program teachers.
D.It aims to improve students’ performance skills as well as knowledge of theatre.
2.If you want to take part in the program, you should _______.
A.have experience in theater performance
B.make an audition with other students
C.have a face-to -face interview
D.take part in an examination
3.What’s the author’s purpose in writing the passage?
A.To tell us how to hold a musical theater program successfully.
B.To call on more students to pay attention to theater.
C.To explain how to make an audition.
D.To introduce the Summer Acting program.
假定你是李华，受新型冠状病毒疫情影响，你校决定进行网上学习。请你根据以下 提示用英语给你校的交换生Peter写一封邮件，告诉他如何进行网上学习：
1 .进行网上学习的原因；2.如何使用钉钉软件开展网上学习。
注意：
1.词数100左右；
2.可以适当增加细节，以使行文连贯。
参考词汇：新型冠状病毒novel coronavirus 钉钉Ding Talk
假定英语课上老师要求同桌之间交换修改作文，请你修改你同桌写的以下作文。文中 共有10处语言错误，每句中最多有两处。每处错误仅涉及一个单词的增加、删除或修改。
增加:在缺词处加一个漏词符号(∧)并在其下面写出该加的词。
删除:把多余的词用斜线⑴划掉。
修改:在错的词下画一横线，井在该词下面写出修改后的词。
注意：1.每处错误及其修改均仅限一词；
2.只允许修改10处，多者(从第11处起)不计分。
Dear Tom,
It's really kind for you to invite me to dinner at your home tomorrow evening. Besides, it is much to my regret that I cannot join you and your family. I will be fully occupying then with an important exam coming the day after tomorrow. I feel sorry for missing the chance of such a enjoyable get-together and hoping that all of you enjoy a good time. Is it possible that for us to have another private meetings afterwards? If not, please don't hesitate to drop me a line about my preferable date. I do long for chatting with you. Please allow me say sorry again.
Yours,
Li Hua
