Steel Vengeance, a world-record-breaking hybrid roller coaster, recently made its first public appearance at Cedar Point Amusement Park in Sandusky, Ohio.
The ride is constructed from both wood and steel (钢). A steel running track on a huge wooden base allows the ride to provide the types of twists (扭转) and turns that are not possible on wooden roller coasters.
Steel Vengeance breaks ten world records, including tallest, fastest, and longest hybrid roller coaster. “It is just a roller coaster that you want to ride again and again,” said Tony Clark, director of communications at Cedar Point. The 90-degree, 200-foot drop on the first hill takes your breath away.
At a recent event at Cedar Point, I experienced the excitement of the new ride first-hand. Thanks to my strong heart, I had a really cool time!
THE MAKING OF VENGEANCE
“The biggest part of making a roller coaster is planning it,” Clark said.
Jason McClure, general manager of Cedar Point, added: “We have to get a main idea of the basics of the coaster and then plan a budget.”
WOOD, STEEL, AND HARD WORK
Rocky Mountain Construction designed and built Steel Vengeance. About 1.2 million pounds of steel and 1.4 million boards of wood were used to build the ride.
Fred Grubb, co-founder of Rocky Mountain, noted that “people who design roller coasters for my company have to have first-hand experience building things with their hands, not just hold an engineering degree. When you have built things for yourself, you get it, and understand what will work.”
Clark was pleased with the results. “We at Cedar Point are so happy with how Steel Vengeance turned out,” he said.
McClure added: “What we put into this roller coaster was wood, steel, and a lot of hard work.”
1. What can we learn about Steel Vengeance?A.It is going through tests. |
B.It belongs to Rocky Mountain. |
C.It is made from both steel and wood. |
D.It was mainly designed by Fred Grubb. |
A.It will last longer. |
B.It cost less money. |
C.It took less time to build. |
D.It offers more kinds of twists. |
A.Worried. |
B.Excited. |
C.Frightened. |
D.Shocked. |
A.hold an arts degree |
B.be roller coaster lovers |
C.be skillful at wood work |
D.have built things themselves |
相似题推荐
【推荐1】ARLANDA, Sweden (Reuters Life!) – Many people hate the idea of having to sleep on a plane. But Swedish entrepreneur Oscar Dios thinks they can be persuaded otherwise and he has created a new kind of hostel to prove it.
Dios says it is the world’s first jumbo (unusually large) jet hostel, an actual jet-plane at Sweden’s main airport outside Stockholm which has been changed into a 25- room guesthouse that sleeps as many as 72 people.
“I learned about this plane that was standing deserted at Arlanda airport and I’ve been trying the concept of hostels in many different houses and buildings,” he told Reuters. “I thought, ‘Why not a plane?’”
Jumbo Hostels opened for business on Thursday, giving customers the chance to check in and sleep in a room that can best be described as comfortable.”
“The most challenging part with this project is trying to build something inside a metal hull(壳) – it’s just really, really tight.”
The jet, which was originally produced for Singapore Airlines, was taken out of service in 2002. It is held on a concrete foundation with the landing gear secured in steel cradles.
One feature of the hostel is its price – a room starts at 350 Swedish crowns (about $ 41), which is a lot less than hotel rooms outside of major airports.
Another feature is that customers can get married on the wing of the plane and stay in the plane’s more luxurious honeymoon suite (套房).
Instead of walking down the aisle in the church, lovebirds can take what Jumbo Hostels calls the “wing walk,” where they can be joined in great happiness at the wing tip. The hostel has someone ready to perform the ceremony.
But in some respects this hostel remains a plane – most customers have to share the jet’s nine bathrooms and the staff only wear air host and hostess outfits. The only room that has its own bathroom is the honeymoon suite.
1. One of the features of the plane hostel is that______.A.customers can sleep in comfortable rooms | B.air hostesses can offer good service |
C.a wedding ceremony can be held on the wing | D.the staff can have a “wing walk” |
A.the hostel lies at Arlanda airport in Stockholm | B.the jet plane was out of use in 2002 |
C.the hostel provides nine bathrooms for customers | D.every hostel room is $ 41 per night |
A.crowded | B.tense | C.small | D.full |
A.introduce a new kind of hostel | B.describe a wonderful place for weddings |
C.prove people can sleep on a plane | D.call on people to make use of the deserted things |
1. Henry Ford was the man to built _____ cars.
A.cheap and strong | B.cheap and long |
C.fast and expensive | D.strong and slow |
A.he made many cars | B.his cars are many |
C.he made lots of cars of the same kind | D.both A and B |
A.which was his father’s will | B.which was against his own will |
C.which was against his father’s will | D.which was his teacher’s will |
A.before 1908 | B.between 1982 and 1908 |
C.before 1892 | D.after 1908 |
A.in 1903 | B.in 1908 | C.in 1913 | D.in 1897 |
【推荐3】Big Problems, Simple Solutions
Inventions are improving health and well-being in communities around the world. Speakers at recent TED events have shared simple and inexpensive solutions that can solve everyday problems.
FUEL BRIQUETTES (燃料砖)
In the developing world, smoke from indoor cooking kills more than 2 million children each year. In fact, it’s the number one cause of death of children under five. Amy Smith, founder of D-Lab at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), discovered a way to make a safe cooking fuel. The material she uses is also free and plentiful: farm waste.
Smith invented a low-cost device that turns farm waste into fuel briquettes. These briquettes produce smoke that is less dangerous than the smoke from other fuel. They also burn hotter and last longer. Farmers can make these briquettes from readily available waste. This invention has an economic benefit, too. Farmers can buy the device for $2 and sell briquettes they don’t use. Smith estimates (估算) that this can increase a farmer’s income by $500 a month.
DISASTER SHELTERS
Over 31 million people worldwide lose their homes every year due to natural disasters such as hurricanes and earthquakes. After these disasters, many people live in terrible conditions—in tents or in large stadiums with no privacy. Graphic designer Michael McDaniel invented inexpensive and temporary housing for people in these situations.
Called the Reaction Ex, these shelters are small, one-room houses that comfortably hold up to four people. They’re made from a plastic that is strong, recyclable, and super light. In fact, they’re so light that they can be lifted by hand and are very portable as well. McDaniel hopes that his invention will provide an affordable solution to help people rebuild their lives after a natural disaster.
1. The key goal to invent the fuel briquettes is to________.A.increase family income |
B.make full use of farm waste |
C.get free and plentiful cooking fuel |
D.protect kids from dangerous cooking smoke |
A.Light and affordable. | B.Heavy and recyclable. |
C.Big and comfortable. | D.Small and breakable. |
A.To explain design methods. | B.To introduce new inventions. |
C.To report research findings. | D.To advertise latest products. |
【推荐1】Though it is not good for us to expose ourselves to sunlight for too long, allowing ourselves appropriate amount of exposure to sunlight gives us many benefits and affects us in a number of ways.
Without the sun, life would not have developed. It gives us energy and heats our world. The sun gives us light and thus in turn we are able to see the beautiful colors in our world. It makes us feel good when we feel the warmth of its rays on our shoulders. We store the energy from the sun to help build and heat our houses.
Without sunlight we would not be able to survive. Sunlight gives balance. All living things live in a food chain and at the beginning of the food chain comes the plant which absorbs sunlight and transforms light energy into chemical energy, which will then be absorbed by another life to be turned into a new kind of energy and so on.
One of the benefits that we can get from sunlight is that we can receive vitamin D from sunlight. It helps us to keep a healthy body, control the amount of minerals in the body, which is needed to help keep our bones and teeth in good condition and helps to keep a well-balanced mind.
Different places on the earth receive varying degrees of sunlight, which will decide the region’s climate. For example, the farther away it is from the equator (赤道), the sharper the angle (角度) of the sun’s rays that reach it, which means that sunlight coverage will be more spread out, and receive less heat than lower latitude areas nearer the equator.
1. Why does sunlight give balance?A.It helps to pass energy. | B.It helps to absorb energy. |
C.It helps to form new lives. | D.It helps to protect new lives. |
A.increasing the amount of minerals | B.obtaining a healthy nerve system |
C.keeping their bones and teeth healthy | D.keeping a delighted mind |
A.Which place is the hottest. | B.How sunlight affects the climate. |
C.How to get more sunlight. | D.How much sunlight a place needs. |
A.Avoid being exposed to sunlight too long | B.Follow the researchers’ words |
C.Good effects of sunlight on our lives | D.Making full use of sunlight |
【推荐2】Bosses trying to quickly increase productivity should give up brainstorming meetings and instead invest in office plant, a study has found.
Green plants in offices increase work output by 15 percent, and challenges the “lean philosophy”(极简哲学)which holds that tidy buildings are best for concentration.
In experiments at two large commercial offices in the UK and The Netherlands, it was found that plants significantly increased workplace satisfaction, levels of focus, and air quality. “Simply decorating an office space with plants help to increase productivity by 15 percent,” said lead researcher Marlon Nieuwenhuis.
“This conclusion doesn't agree with the modern ‘lean’ management techniques, yet it points out a path to a more enjoyable, more comfortable and a more profitable form of office-based workings.” She added, “Our research suggests that investing in decorating the office with plants will pay off through an increase in workers’ quality of life and productivity. It directly challenges the widely accepted business philosophy that a lean office with clean desks is more productive.”
Previous studies have shown that the presence of plants can reduce physiological(生理上的) stress, increase the attention span and improve health and well-being.
Researchers studied offices over several months during which plants were removed and added. Professor Alex Haslam, who also worked on the study, added, “The lean philosophy has been influential across a wide range of organizational fields. Our research questions this widespread belief that less is more. Sometimes less is just less.”
Plants are beneficial because a green office makes employees more physically and emotionally involved in their work.
Another researcher Dr. Craig Knight said: “Psychologically manipulating(处理,操纵)real workplaces and real jobs adds new depth to our understanding of what is right and what is wrong with existing workspace design and management. We are now providing a model of a really smart office.”
1. According to the “lean philosophy”, ________.A.green plants can increase productivity. |
B.green plants may disturb people’s concentration. |
C.a beautiful environment is beneficial to productivity. |
D.green plants will help bosses come up with new ideas. |
A.it may create a new way of management. |
B.it will lead to less investment in offices. |
C.it may lead to a better form of office-based workings. |
D.it challenges the widely accepted brainstorming meetings. |
A.The “lean philosophy” is widely adopted nowadays. |
B.A green office helps employees focus on their work. |
C.Green plants will make office workers more efficient. |
D.When it comes to decorating offices, the less the better. |
A.blame the “lean philosophy”. |
B.show how to increase productivity. |
C.Persuade bosses to remove plants from offices. |
D.indicate the effects of green plants on works’ efficiency. |
【推荐3】A new study has shown how computers and robots powered by artificial intelligence (AI) can read human eye movements to “read” human personalities.
The eyes are the windows to the soul. And if so, computers and robots powered by complex artificial intelligence algorithms (算法) may soon have the ability to peer into your soul. That is the result of a new study on the connection between eye movements and personality, conducted by neuroscience researchers.
“Eye movements during an everyday task predict aspects of our personality,” wrote the researchers, led by University of South Australia neuroscientist Tobias Loetscher, whose team follows 42 study subjects recording their eye movements, then determines their personality characteristics.
The researchers fed the data into their AI algorithms and found that computers running the algorithms were able to record human eye movements and immediately determine a person’s major personality characteristics , such as “neuroticism, extraversion (外向), agreeableness, conscientiousness, as well as perceptual (感知的) curiosity”, the scientists wrote.
“The new findings could improve the way human beings interact with their computers and other high-tech devices, even robots, allowing for more natural and realistic social interactions with machines,” Loetscher said.
“People are always looking for improved, personalized services. Today’s robots and computers are not socially aware, so they cannot adjust to non-verbal information,” Loetscher said in a statement quoted by Indian Express. “This research provides opportunities to develop robots and computers so that they can become more natural, and better at interpreting human social signals.”
The study revealed previously undiscovered relations between specific personality characteristics and specific eye movement tendencies, according to a summary in Britain’s Daily Mail newspaper.
1. What do the underlined words “peer into” in Paragraph 2 probably mean?A.Search for. | B.Concern about. |
C.Stare at. | D.Understand. |
A.It was carried out in a lab. |
B.42 subjects’ eye movements were recorded. |
C.The students’ daily movements were tracked. |
D.Its subjects’ personalities were determined by computer. |
A.Robots and computers are socially conscious. |
B.People care less about improved, personalized services. |
C.Today’s robots and computers can accustom themselves to non-verbal information. |
D.The discovery will improve the interaction between human beings and robots. |
A.Tell Personalities by Eye Movements |
B.What Human Eye Movements Are |
C.Human Personality Characteristics |
D.How Humans and Machines Interact |
【推荐1】Arizona State University(ASU)Summer Programs
Logic and Leadership Academy
The Leadership Society of Arizona(LSA)has created a fun leadership program based on 25 years of professional development research conducted at ASU.
For registering on http://leadaz.org/summer-program/,LSA is providing you with a discount of $25.
Date,Location and Cost
Week 1:May 28-June 1 Tempe Campus $350
Week 2:June 10-14 West Campus $375
Week 3:June 17-21 Polytechnic Campus $400
Registration opens April 1,2021
Registration deadline is May 1,2021
High School App Camp
This program focuses on teaching the fundamentals of programming and computational thinking through iphone app development.Course material will be covered using a hands-on approach that helps participants to learn challenging concepts through practice.
Date,Location and Cost
July 8-12 Tempe Campus $625
Registration opens March 1,2021
Registration deadline is June 24,2021
The Art of Invention:Escape Room Maker Camp
Join us and practice your skills in science technology,engineering,arts,and math (STEAM)concepts while exploring,designing,and solving puzzles to"escape"the room!The camp will end with the design and construction of your own"room"for your family and friends to escape on the last day of the camp.
Date,Location and Cost
July 15-19 Chandler Innovation Center$250
Registration opens February 4,2021
Registration deadline is July 8,2021
High School Game Camp
Why just play video games when you can learn to create and produce your own?If you are entering grades 9-12,this two-week video game design and art camp will teach you cutting-edge 3D art production.
Date,Location and Cost
June 3-14 Tempe Campus $650
Registration opens March 1,2021
Registration deadline is June 1,2021
1. If you register online for the leadership course starting on June 10,how much should you pay?A.$ 325 | B.$350 | C.$375 | D.$400 |
A.It is a learning-by-doing program. |
B.It takes place at several campuses of ASU. |
C.Participants should register before March 1,2021. |
D.Participants can invite their family along. |
A.Tempe Campus |
B.Polytechnic Campus |
C.Chandler Innovation Center |
D.West Campus |
【推荐2】Music Festivals in 2019
Snowattack
Type: Electronic
Where: Les Orres, France
When: January 26-February 2, 2019
Camping: No
Snowaltack is a mid-winter event celebrating electronic music and ski culture. The festival takes place yearly at the Les Ores ski area in France with over 100 kilometers of slope (斜坡) and 19 lifts, giving great pleasure to tourists and music lovers.
Treefort Music Festival
Type: Hip-hop
Where: Boise, ID
When: March 20—March 24, 2019
Camping: No
It may sound strange lo choose Boise in Idaho as the city for such a large festival, but the Treefort festival continues to give us surprise year after year. Treefort takes place the week after another big music festival, South by Southwest, to attract artists on the way back to the northwest. The festival has grown in size to include things beyond music, like film, yoga and beer.
Black Deer Festival
Type: Country
Where: Eridge Park, Kent
When: June 21—June 23, 2019
Camping: Yes
Black Deer is going to bring a great deal of real Americanna and country music to the UK. The new festival promises to bring a wonderful mixture of excitement, experience and love with tasty food and drink, artisan wares (工艺品) and fantastic music.
Noise Pop Festival
Type: Pop
Where: San Francisco, CA
When: February 15-February 25, 2019
Camping: No
The Noise Pop Festival takes place every February across San Francisco. The show also includes activities about art and film along with some of the best musical artists. If you’re planning a winter-time trip, this is a special way to experience the fashion of the city.
1. Which festival should you go to if you are a hip-hop lover?A.Snowattack. | B.Noise Pop Festival. |
C.Black Deer Festival. | D.Treefort Music Festival. |
A.It will allow for camping. | B.It will last for a whole week. |
C.It will bring different musical styles. | D.It will include many kinds of activities. |
A.Try an exercise like yoga. | B.Go skating to exciting music. |
C.Play with country music lovers. | D.Enjoy the fashion of San Francisco. |
【推荐3】Whatever your level is, choosing to take French lessons in France is the best way to learn French. Place yourself in the local culture and practice your newly found skills in your free time.
You will be taught by native French speakers who have a love for teaching and use excellent teaching techniques. Lessons are interesting and you will speak French on the first day both inside and outside the classroom.
Learners
1.Suitable for all levels from beginners to advanced
2.Over 18 years old
Class Schedule
1.Classes start on Mondays and run throughout the summer.
2.Please arrive at the school by 8:15 am on your first day for a short level test. It will help to place you in the right class.
3.Classes run from Monday to Friday each week.
4.Classes start at 8:45 am each day depending on your level.
5.You will have 3 classes per day lasting 55 minutes each.
6.You will have a short break between classes.
Free Time and Tours
1.The school offers a lot of cultural activities throughout the week. These activities can include cooking lessons, wine and cheese tasting, visits to Paris, cycling, movies and much more.
2.You will have plenty of free time to explore (探索) the local area and practice your newly found language skills or just relax on this learning holiday with a difference.
Other Information
1.You should bring a small dictionary, pens and paper with you.
2.Get more from your holiday, have fun, meet new people and take home a new language skill that will stay with you forever.
1. What is special about the French courses?A.They are taught in small groups. | B.The teachers are young French speakers. |
C.They will offer a wine tasting license. | D.People learn French in and out of class. |
A.21. | B.30. | C.12. | D.15. |
A.is not suitable for adolescents | B.provides dictionaries for students |
C.has a short game between classes | D.offers cooking classes as well |
【推荐1】Elixir
written by Eric Walters
Twelve-year-old Roth becomes a friend of Dr. Banting and his assistant, Mr. Best,who are in search of a cure for diabetes (糖尿病). She finds herself torn between her sympathy for the animals being experimented on and her friendship with Banting and Best.
George Washington Carver
written by Elizabeth Macleod
Meet the "Peanut specialist", George Washington Carver, the inventor and professor who made over 325 products out of peanuts. Through his agricultural research, he also greatly improved the lives of countless black farmers in the southern Unite States. See also MacLeod's Albert Einstein: A life of Genius.
The Inuit Thought of it: Amazing Arctic Innovation
written by Alootook Ipellie and David MacDonald.
Explore more than 40 ideas necessary to Inuit survival. From ideas familiar to us today to inventive concepts that shaped their lives, celebrate the creativity of a remarkably intelligent people. Also see other books: the Chinese thought of it by Tingxing Ye and A Native American Thought of it by Rocky Landon and David MacDonald.
Made in Canada:101 Amazing Achievements
written by Bev Spencer
What things do we use daily that have a Canadian connection? Here Are 101 common things that were invented in Canada or by a Canadian, including the Blackberry, alkaline (碱) batteries the Blue Box recycling program.
Newton and the Time Machine
written by Michael McGowan
Ten-year-old boy Newton has invented a time machine to see Dinosaurs up close.
But it disappears on a test run with his two huge friends, King Herbert and Queen Gertrude, in it! Can he save them before time runs out?
1. Which of the following best describes Roth's feeling in Book 1?A.Frightened. | B.Curious. |
C.Painful. | D.Disappointed. |
A.Book 3 introduces 40 inventive concepts. |
B.Animals are mentioned in Book 1 and Book 5. |
C.Alkaline batteries were invented by Dr. Banting. |
D.George Washington Carver was a black farmer in the US. |
A.Newton's human friends | B.the names of the time machine |
C.the inventions of the time machine | D.two dinosaurs |
A.Elizabeth Macleod | B.Eric Walters |
C.Rocky London & David MacDonald | D.Bev Spencer |
【推荐2】Public Health England (PHE) is targeting pizzas, ready meals, ready meat and takeaways. The government has also required the food industry to start using healthier food and encourage the public to choose lower calorie (卡路里) foods.
It is all part of an effort to cut calorie intake by 20% by 2024. The target will point to 13 different food groups, which are equal to about a fifth of the calorie taken by children. If action is not taken, PHE said, it would be prepared to ask the government to pass laws.
PHE would strictly monitor the progress by looking at which products people buy and would be prepared to punish companies which do not take on their duties. The government is also organizing a program encouraging adults to consume (吃,喝) 400 calories at breakfast and 600 each at lunch and dinner.
At present, adults consume between 200 and 300 calories more than they should each day. PHE chief nutritionist Dr. Alison Tedstone said the 400600600 tip would make it easier for people to make healthier choices by being able to judge what they should eat at each meal.
How many calories should we eat? It is suggested that a woman eat no more than 2,000 calories a day, while a man should limit his intake to 2,500. For children, it depends on the age. A fouryearold should consume no more than 1,300 calories a day, while for teens aged 17 and 18, it is about 3,000, but overweight children are eating up to 500 calories more than that.
Prof Russell Viner, from the Royal College of Pediatrics and Child Health, said it was a necessary move. He said, “Over the past 40 years, there has been slow growth in food sizes, with pizzas and hamburgers simply much bigger than they were in our parents' time.” The convenience of fast food and the advertisement of unhealthy food and drinks to children add to the problem.
1. What will happen to a company if it encourages high calorie food?A.It will be punished by customers. |
B.It will be forced to stop producing foods. |
C.It will be punished by Public Health England. |
D.It will be asked to throw away all the food. |
A.Babies aged 4. | B.Teens aged 18. |
C.Women. | D.Men. |
A.The government has passed laws about using healthier food. |
B.PHE is concerned about the British health problems. |
C.Men should eat no more than 2,000 calories. |
D.Hamburgers are not bigger than before. |
【推荐3】Brittnie Pemberton listened attentively as Jim Herrick took her and her mother, Tanya, on a brief tour of San Diego State University on Thursday.Her dream is much closer to reality after she received a promise from the university.The university promised that she would get a full four-year scholarship to the school as long as she met the entrance requirements.
Brittnie, 10, laughed.Her mom cried.
They live at the Salvation Army Door of Hope, a living center for homeless women and their children.Photojournalist Linda Solomon met them in August when she came to the facility and taught boys and girls, ages three-and-a-half to 13, how to take pictures.She gave them all disposable cameras and told them to capture images that reflected their dreams.The children's images - a big house, a church, a playground, a backyard and more - are kept.This is a project called“Pictures of Hope" organized by the Salvation Army.
"I wish to go to college, so I took a picture of the sign out in front of San Diego State University," Brittnie said last month.The Fletcher Elementary School fifth-grader was pointing to the Christmas card bearing her photograph.
Adrienne Finley, development director at the Salvation Army, hosted a reception for Solomon, who told Finley about the president of a small university who gave a child the scholarship she dreamed of last year.
Finley called his old friend, Herrick, who serves as the SDSU President."We have a wonderful opportunity here to make a difference in a little girl's life," Finley said.Soon her mom and Brittnie were face to face with SDSU President Jim Herrick.
"You must be Brittnie," he said, reaching out to shake her hand.She quickly pulled her hands out of the pockets of the new SDSU sweatshirt she had been given that morning.
They sat down at a table in his office and talked about college, about science, about her love of math and his hope that she and other girls wouldn't lose interest in those subjects, as happens to many girls as they grow older.
Then they talked about how much discipline she would need over the next eight years to make her dream come true.Both signed the paper outlining their agreement to the terms of the scholarship.Back outside on the sunny campus, Brittnie admitted she's tempted sometimes not to do her homework."But not anymore," she said.
1. According to the first paragraph, we can know that________.A.it is certain that Brittnie will be admitted into SDSU |
B.Brittnie will not need to pay for her university education if she can study in SDSU. |
C.Jim Herrick promised Brittnie’s mother to offer her a job in SDSU. |
D.Brittnie made a promise that she would never give up her dream.. |
A.call on young men and young women to help others |
B.provide shelters for homeless moms and their children |
C.carry out some projects to help those who are in trouble |
D.help homeless people no matter who they are |
A.Linda Solomon taught children photography to inspire them. |
B.Children told people about their dreams through their pictures. |
C.Brittnie took a picture standing at the gate of SDSC. |
D.Brittnie’s picture was so good that it was printed on a Christmas card. |
A.Ferrick has a strong belief that Brittnie will be a scientist in the future. |
B.Brittnie, as well as some other girls, is interested in both science and math. |
C.some girls would not be so good in science and math as boys as they grow older. |
D.Brittnie will never lose interest in science because of her deep love |