Probably the most exciting tech development of recent times, virtual reality (VR) has arrived, with sufficient options available to the consumer who’s searching for an extra amount of high-tech fun. The cheapest way to get a high-end VR experience comes courtesy of Sony. Its PlayStation VR doesn’t require a tricked-out PC or expensive phone – it works with the Playstation 4 control board and comes with a few great games in its library. There is some equipment you can purchase to enhance the experience, but if you’ve already got a PS4 you can enter the world of VR for just $400. Other high-end offerings like the HTC Vive and Oculus Rift, as well as mobile options like Samsung’s Gear VR, will get your head in the game.
Wireless headphones
Combining ease of use with the ability to move wild around your home, gym or workplace, wireless headphones just make sense. And there are plenty of practical options to suit any budget. The Bose QuietComfort 35 wireless headphones are definitely worth a test drive, though. The full-size, around-ear Bluetooth headphones highlight active noise cancellation and double as a headset for making phone calls. They’ve even earned the Editor’s Choice award at Cnet.com and can be purchased for less than $400 online.
Digital cameras
While your phone is a worthy assistant, there’s no substitute for a real camera when it comes to taking the perfect picture. And these days you can get quality specifications in a package that’s almost as small as your smartphone. The shiny design of the Fujifilm X70, $699, makes it the perfect companion, or you could go retro with the Olympus PEN-F ($1,200) that offers old school looks alongside cutting edge technology. Domestically, it’s worth checking out Xiaomi’s mirrorless Yi M1 for a more affordable option. With a high-end 20-megapixel (兆像素) sensor and the ability to host multiple lenses, it’s available from just 2,199 yuan.
1. Sony can provide high-tech fun at the lowest cost because________.| A．players can play free games online | B．PS4 owners don’t need any other device |
| C．it gives players adequate experience | D．players have purchased expensive PCs |
| A．They have various types to meet users’ needs. |
| B．Users can reduce noise manually. |
| C．They work better in the wild. |
| D．Users can make phone calls with the headphones. |
| A．A smart phone. | B．Fujifilm X70. |
| C．Olympus PEN-F. | D．Yi M1. |
相似题推荐
The expression was first used in 1913 by a young American called Arthur Momand. He told this story about himself. He began earning $ 125 a week at the age of 23. That was a lot of money in those days. He got married and moved with his wife to a very wealthy neighbourhood outside New York City. When he saw that rich people rode horses, Momand went horseback riding every day. When he saw that rich people had servants, Momand and his wife also hired a servant and gave big parties for their new neighbours.
It was like a race, but one could never finish this race because one was always trying to keep up. The race ended for Momand and his wife when they could no longer pay for their new way of life. They moved back to an apartment in New York City.
Momand looked around him and noticed that many people do things just to keep up with rich life--style of their neighbours. He saw the funny side of it and started to write a series of short stories, He called it ‘Keeping up with the Joneses’ because ‘Jones’ is a very common name in the United States.’ Keeping up with the Joneses’ came to mean keeping up with rich lifestyle of the people around you. Momand’s series appeared in different newspapers across the country for over 28 years.
People never seem to get tired of keeping up with the Joneses. And there are ‘Jonses’ in every city of the world. But one must get tired of trying to keep up with the Joneses because no matter what one does, Mr. Jones always seems to be ahead.
1. Some people want to keep up with the Joneses because they ______.
| A．want to be as rich as their neighbours |
| B．want others to know or to think that they are rich |
| C．don’t want others to know they are rich |
| D．want to be happy |
| A．live outside New York City | B．live in New York City |
| C．live in apartments | D．have many neighbours |
| A．a person who lives near another | B．people living in an area |
| C．an area near the place referred to | D．an area in another town or city |
| A．an important name | B．a popular name in the United States |
| C．his neighbour’s name | D．not a good name |
| A．correct | B．interesting | C．impossible | D．good |
【推荐2】Making eye contact with a robot can be a very strange experience. Scientists even have a name for the feeling: the “uncanny valley”. Now, researchers at the Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia (IIT) in Italy have found that it is more than just a feeing. They ran an experiment that showed how a robot’s gaze can trick people into thinking they are socially interacting with a human being. That experience can slow a person’s ability to make decisions.
“Gaze is an extremely important social signal,” said the lead writer, Professor Agnieszka Wykowska, “The question is whether the robot’s gaze will evoke very similar mechanisms in the human brain as a human’s gaze would.”
The team asked 40 participants to play a video game of “chicken”. Each player had to decide whether to permit a car to run straight toward another car or to turn to avoid a crash. The people played against a human-like robot sitting across from them. During breaks in the game, players had to look at the robot. Sometimes the robot would look back and at other times it would look away. As the interactions happened, the scientists collected data on participants’ behavior and brain activity.
“Our results show the gaze of the robot had an impact on the way humans made decisions and humans’ responses, so humans were much slower in making decisions in the game,” Wykowska said. Given that the robot, is designed loosely to copy the shape and appearance of people, it’s not altogether startling perhaps that its gaze can influence people’s attention.
The findings could be useful for deciding where and how human-like robots might be placed. When we understand when and how robots change people’s social behavior,“then we can decide in which sort of context this is desirable and beneficial for humans and in which context this should not occur,” Wykowska said.
1. Why was the experiment conducted?| A．To find out how the robot interacted with people. | B．To study the function of the robot’s eyes. |
| C．To test the effect of robots’ gaze on people. | D．To arouse people’s interest in service robots. |
| A．Control the direction of a real car. | B．Look at the robot in the game breaks. |
| C．Have a car race with a robot. | D．Gaze at the robot while playing games. |
| A．Unsurprising. | B．Amazing. | C．Disappointing. | D．Threatening. |
| A．To advertise the robot. | B．To introduce a study. |
| C．To stress the importance of eye contact. | D．To show robots’ ability to make decisions. |
【推荐3】Your Genes, Your Future
How would you feel if someone gave you an envelope with a description of every one of your genes? Supposing this information could tell you what illnesses you were likely to get, or even what illness you might die of, would you open the envelope?
It's a difficult question to answer. But the fact is that scientists have already begun to discover how certain genes influence us. And in the next decade, they will learn a lot more.
We have known for a long time that many of our physical characteristics are inherited（继承）. For example, our eye colour and certain diseases are decided by our genes. As long as you have a good diet, scientists can predict your height by looking at your parents' heights. And we now know that the need to wear glasses has a genetic cause. Our eating habits also appear to be decided by our genes!
With other characteristics, things are not so clear. Certainly, scientists have now shown that some traits（特性，特质） are strongly influenced by our genes. Do you prefer getting up early or late? To a great extent, it's your genes that decide. Do you enjoy dangerous sports such as car racing? There is a gene that influences how much excitement we need.
But with most psychological characteristics, scientists are learning that both our genes and our environment affect us. This is true of things such as how violent we are, and how well we get on with other people. So, even though scientists may soon be able to describe our genes in detail, it does not mean they will be able to predict our future with any real success.
Nevertheless, the fact is that scientists will be able to "read" our genes in the near future. This will create new problems. To give a few examples, insurance companies may not want to insure people whose genes predict certain illnesses. Employers may not want to employ people who have a gene for violence. One thing is already clear -- with these new developments, life is going to become even more complicated!
1. Which characteristics is mostly likely to be inherited?| A．Eye color. | B．Interest. |
| C．Future. | D．Ability. |
| A．You may die of a certain illness described in the envelope. |
| B．There will be an increased number of violent people. |
| C．People may take part in dangerous sports such as car racing. |
| D．Insurance companies may refuse to insure people with a gene for certain disease. |
| A．Because we’re affected not only by our genes but also by our environment. |
| B．Because scientists will not be able to read our genes in the near future. |
| C．Because life in the future will be more complicated. |
| D．Because scientists can’t describe our genes in detail. |
【推荐1】Have you ever tried 3-D printing? A team of seven students from No. 34 Middle School in Zhengzhou, Henan, have won awards for their creative 3-D printing works.
Two of the team's works took home the top prize at the International Youth Innovation Design Competition. It was held in France this summer. One of their works had the theme “Chinat's New Era (时代)”. The other work was an ancient Chinese palace. They sent the work as a gift to local officials in Lille, France.
The team members learned how to print in their school's 3-D printing club. They took classes twice a week to learn 3-D printing. To make 3-D printed items, they fist draw a blueprint (蓝图). Then, they use a computer to design models of the pieces they need. After that, they use a 3-D printer to print the pieces and assemble (组装)them, as Liu Songyuan, 14, said.
But knowing how to use the tools is just one part of mastering 3-D printing. One also has to have imagination. To show the theme “China's New Era”, they printed out items standing for high-speed trains, bike sharing, cashless payment and online shopping. They placed these items around a dragon, which represented China. They made this work within just three hours, winning a national 3-D printing competition in China and later the international competition.
When they got to the international competition, they wanted to present something that stood for traditional Chinese culture. They were inspired (启迪)by a trip to the palace Museum. “When we saw the buildings there, we thought “That's it!” said Zhang Jiuxing, 14. They took photos of the buildings and did a lot of research to make their 3-D-printed works more realistic (逼真的). “We will continue to learn about this technology and make more creative things,” Zhang added.
1. How many students are there in the team?| A．8. | B．2. | C．6. | D．7. |
| A．Russia. | B．The UK. | C．China. | D．France |
| A．Twice a week | B．Once a week. | C．Once a month. | D．Three times a week. |
①They use a computer to design models of the pieces they need.
②They use a 3-D printer to print the pieces and assemble them.
③They draw a blueprint.
| A．①②③ | B．②③① | C．③①② | D．③②① |
| A．if you know how to use the tools, you can master 3-D printing |
| B．it's still a long way for the students to make creative and realistic 3-D works |
| C．it's easy for the students to make a 3-D-printed work |
| D．both of the works stood for China's traditional culture |
【推荐2】Nowadays along with the booming of computer science, computers are widely used here and there. People even can find computers in most classrooms. While teachers remain more or less the same, computers are doubling in speed and capability every four years.
They are unable to deal with students with different background. Needless to say, a classroom is a place where individual attention and creativity matter most. Therefore, computers are no better than other tools used by teachers and couldn’t possibly make the roles played by them weaker.
In terms of accuracy and the amount of information, computers outshine humans.
Besides, the interaction between students and teachers is vital for the learning. According to most education authorities, real learning occurs during the discussion and sharing of ideas with one’s teacher and classmates. Moreover, a teacher is there to monitor every slight change in students’ attitude, to respond to and encourage them whenever they show signs of frustration and impatience.
Despite the increasing presence of computers inside classrooms, teachers are just as essential, if not more so, as instructors were in the past.
| A．It’s time that teachers should develop themselves. |
| B．Without this kind of interaction, education is unimaginable. |
| C．Advanced as computers may be, some teachers are less impatient. |
| D．But to make a good teacher means far more than being an encyclopedia (百科全书). |
| E．People can’t help wondering whether teachers are as important as they once were. |
| F．Some drawbacks make it impossible for computers to replace teachers in classrooms. |
| G．It is well known that computers are better at repetitive work but incapable of creative thinking. |
I think it is okay for scientists to grow genetically-engineer food because they can develop better food and this can help with the hunger problem all around the world. Scientists can help us to have more and better meats to eat by cloning only the superior animals. I don’t think that we should worry so much about genetically-engineered food.
Angela Fernandez from Mexico
I don’t know whether the tomatoes we find in supermarkets are genetically manipulated or not. What I do know is that they are very bad! A tomato grown with sun and soil is much better. In the case of strawberries, actually, most strawberries we can find are very tasty. I guess, however, they have been genetically manipulated, too.
Vera Sorokina from Russia
If we manipulate vegetable genes, we can also do with human genes. So, it may be possible that a substance which is left in food could get into a human body while the person is eating. Then, is it possible that this substance could modify the person’s genetic structure?
Pinar Müfftler from Turkey
I don’t agree with the idea that scientists should not grow genetically-engineered food because it is not safe. If they want to make progress, they should do experiments. It’s important to keep trying. If they don’t keep trying, they will never be able to develop new technologies. Maybe these technologies won’t be successful in the beginning, but if scientists keep trying, they will develop new ways.
1. Of the people above, who is obviously against genetically-engineered food?| A．Pinar Müfftler from Turkey. | B．Martín Ramírez from Argentina. |
| C．Vera Sirotkina from Russia. | D．Angela Fernandez from Mexico. |
| A．developing such food is a better way to solve world hunger |
| B．experimenting on such food shouldn’t be allowed |
| C．new technologies will make such food safer to eat |
| D．this kind of food is much better and tastier |
| A．He doubts whether such food is safe. | B．He worries that the crops will spoil. |
| C．He doesn’t like vegetables and fruits. | D．He is in favour of cloning animals. |
【推荐1】When Alex Lin was 11 years old, he read an alarming article in the newspaper, which said that people were burying old computers in backyards, throwing TVs into streams, and dumping (丢弃) cell phones in the garbage. This was dangerous because e-waste contains harmful chemicals that can leak into the environment, getting into crops, animals, water supplies and people.
Alex was really worried and decided to make it next project for WIN-the Westerly Innovations Network. Alex and six of his friends had formed this organization to help solve community problems two years before.
But what could they do about this project with e-waste? The team spent several weeks gathering information about the harmful chemicals in e-waste and their effects on humans. They learned how to dispose (处置) of e-waste properly and how it could be recycled. Then, they sent out a Survey and found only one in eight know what e-waste was, let alone how to properly dispose of it.
Alex and his friends went into action. They advertised in the local newspaper and distributed notices to students, asking residents to bring their unwanted electronics to the school parking lot. The drive lasted two days, and they collected over 9, 500 kilograms of e-waste. The next step was to set up a long-term e-waste drop-off center for the town. After some research, they’d learned that reusing is the best way to deal with electronic devices and it is seven times more efficient than recycling. So, they began learning to retrofit (翻新) computers themselves and distributed them to students who didn’t have their own. In this way, they could help students in the area and protect the environment at the same time.
For a lasting solution to e-waste, the drop-off center wasn’t enough. Laws would have to be passed. In 2016, WIN helped push for an e-waste bill in their town, which required companies that manufactured or sold electronics to take back e-waste. The bill clearly forbids the dumping of e-waste. Because of the work of WIN, more and more people, like Alex and his team, are getting the message about safe disposal of e-waste. As Alex says, “Today’s technology should not become tomorrow’s harmful garbage.”
1. What was Alex’s worry after he read the article?| A．The littering of e-waste. | B．The recycling of plastic. |
| C．The change of environment. | D．At 11 p.m. on Monday. |
| A．Set up WIN. | B．Collect information. |
| C．Ask friends for help. | D．The overuse of old computer. |
| A．Traditional. | B．Competitive. | C．Scientific. | D．Convenient. |
| A．There is no end to perfection. | B．success comes through failure. |
| C．Every positive attitude has a reward. | D．young people can make a big difference. |
【推荐2】Parents annoyed by their little ones’ picky food choices often sigh in anger, thinking, “They’ll grow out of it by college.” Maybe not, suggests a new study from Bowling Green State University in Ohio. Some young people continue their picky eating into early adulthood, often restricting their diets to 10 foods or even fewer. Such a deficient diet can mean they’re not getting the fibre and vegetables they need, which could be a health problem. They study also suggests picky eaters may also be experiencing other challenges such as social phobias (恐惧症), including around eating. The social phobia is the fear of being judged by others during everyday activities, often resulting in fear or embarrassment.
For the study, researchers surveyed 488 Midwestern college students. About 40% of the students were identified as picky eaters. And about 65% of those respondents said they ate fewer than 10 foods. “We asked participants to just tell us what challenges around picky eating might have had or any benefits they might see, and people answered differently in terms of what has an effect on them,” said co-author Lauren Dial, a doctoral student at Bowling Green State at the time of the study.
Many indicated they’d eat less or not at all outside the home. One 19-year-old man said he’d drink water half the time “due to my picky eating”, according to the study. Another 18-year-old said, “Sometimes there are some awkward comments when I am eating with my girlfriend and her family.” A 23-year-old woman said her parents would get frustrated at her refusal to try the foods she was served.
“Picky eating does have a lot to do with the presentation of foods (how they’re presented on a plate), and the texture (口感) of foods (is it a consistent texture),” Dial Said, “but there’s also fear of trying new foods and that might play into picky eating.” By learning more about picky eating in adults, the researchers said they may be able to determine how best to intervene (干预) before the problem becomes more severe for some people.
1. What can best replace the underlined word “deficient” in paragraph 1?| A．Limited. | B．Low-fat. | C．Balanced. | D．High-fibre. |
| A．Record how often they eat out. | B．Ignore what influences their eating. |
| C．Express how picky eating affects them. | D．Count how many kinds of foods they prefer. |
| A．By presenting data. | B．By providing examples. |
| C．By following time order. | D．By making comparisons. |
| A．It has something to do with family traditions. |
| B．It can be easily cured by researchers. |
| C．It often comes along with serious mental illnesses. |
| D．It can have both physical and mental reasons. |
【推荐3】Since 2008, the leaders of Brazil, Russia, India and China, the BRIC countries have met every year to discuss topics of global importance. At their third summit (峰会) in China in 2011, the leaders invited South Africa to join, thus becoming the BRICS. The four foreign ministers met on the fringes of the United Nations General Assembly in the fall of 2016. Their leaders, first meeting was held in Sapporo on the eve of the G8 Toyako-Hokkaido Summit in 2008, and their first standalone (单独的) summit was the following year in Yekaterinburg, Russia. Since then, the BRJCS ministers responsible for foreign affairs, finance and the economy, trade, agriculture and health have met. At the official's level, there have been meetings held to discuss science and technology, national security, competition and statistics.
While the concept "BRICS" was first created by Jim O'Neill of Goldman Sachs to refer to the investment opportunities of the rising economics, the leaders' meetings transcend the financial topics to involve many different summit-level topics relating to global governance, such as development, peace and security, energy and climate change and social topics.
The mission of the BRICS Information Center is to serve as a leading independent source of information and analysis on the BRICS interaction and institutions. Documentation from the BRICS and research and reports will be published on this website as they become usable.
Special attention will be paid to the interaction and each other's influence of the BRICS with the world, and including the BRICS relationship with the Group of Eight (G8), Group of Twenty(G20).and other different summit institutions and broadly many-sided organizations.
1. What can we learn about BRICS from the passage?| A．South Africa refused to join it in 2008. |
| B．Its ministers have met every year since 2008. |
| C．It was first called the Group of Eight in 2008. |
| D．Its leaders held the first standalone summit in 2009. |
| A．Go beyond. | B．Take up. | C．Turn to. | D．Pay attention to. |
| A．It has a lot of researchers. | B．It is an independent organization. |
| C．It doesn't have its own website. | D．It can deal with all kinds of information. |
| A．BRICS has specially stressed the interaction. |
| B．BRICS will make much difference to the world. |
| C．BRICS will build closer relationship with G20. |
| D．BRICS has built good relationship with other organizations. |
There have been fires in this area in the last few years and the Office of the National Park is not sure how many black bears are still living. Some bears have been seen since the fires, and the Office has asked for young people to help count them. The entire trip will last three hours. Bookings necessary.
Cost: Free When: May 8
Trip 2 Garland Valley
Bring your drink and lunch for this walk in a beautiful area of the Blue Mountains. Garland Valley is close to the town of Garland but is part of the National Park. Many wild animals live in this area, including many rare birds. This is a great walk for bird-lovers. The trip lasts four hours. Bookings necessary.
Cost: $ 15 When: May 8, May 15
Trip 3 Flashlight Adventure
Put on your warm clothes, bring a flashlight and a pair of glasses, and come for a night walk along the Dungog Valley. A guide will lead the tour. Many of the animals you will see on this trip. The guide will tell you about the lives of the animals you see. Numbers are strictly limited on night trips, so be sure to book early. This walk lasts two and a half hours.
Cost: $ 12 When: May 8, May 15, May22
Equipment to be needed:
• Please bring enough water and food for all walks.
• Wear good walking shoes—no high heels.
• Wear a hat for day walks.
• Dress warmly for night walks.
• Children must be with an adult.
• Make sure your flashlight works well and bring extra batteries for night walks.
• Follow all instructions from guides during the walks. The mountains are a dangerous place.
Bookings:
• Bookings for the above trips can be trade by telephone（893 — 4847）or on the Internet at www.Bluemountaintour.com.
1. Where are these trips?
| A．In a large city. | B．In a park in the mountains. |
| C．In a special kind of zoo. | D．In three different countries. |
| A．Black Bear Count | B．Garland Valley |
| C．Flashlight Adventure | D．None of the trips |
| A．Good walking shoes | B．A pair of glasses |
| C．Food and water | D．A sleeping-bag |
| A．Bring your drink and lunch for this walk. |
| B．Many of the animals you will see on this trip . |
| C．The guide will tell you about the lives of the animals you see. |
| D．There is no need to book early. |
| A．Adventure Travel in America |
| B．Hunting around the Great Mountains |
| C．Interesting Trips in the East of the USA |
| D．Discovery Trips in the Blue Mountains |
【推荐2】During your four years in the college, you'll have many exciting choices to make, the first of which will be your course selection for your first semester. The beauty of this choice is that you can't go wrong! No matter which one of our First-Year Options you select to apply for, you will create a rich intellectual experience to begin your college career.
Option 1:Liberal Arts Seminar
The Liberal Arts Seminar is a multidisciplinary（多学科的）course that explores the cultural history of the Mediterranean through fictional and nonfictional books.
Fall schedule: When Registration opens, you will select between one and four additional courses to complete your schedule.
Option 2:FLL Hager Scholars Program
The FLL Hager Scholars Program is designed with our most ambitious students of languages and linguistics in mind, and is designed to create for them both a sense of community and opportunities for intellectual growth.
Fall schedule: When Registration opens, you will select between one and three additional courses to complete your schedule.
Option 3: Ignatius Seminars
Offered only in the first semester, Ignatius Seminars introduce students to the depth and diversity of Georgetown's dynamic intellectual community.
Fall schedule: When Registration opens, you will select three or four additional courses to complete your schedule.
Option 4: Traditional First-Year Academic Program
With this program, you'll take your first step into the college's rich and varied core courses and explore your fields of interest in free optional coursework.
Fall schedule: When Registration opens, you will build a schedule of four or five additional courses from the full college curriculum.
1. How do students learn the cultural history of the Mediterranean?| A．By completing the schedule. | B．By writing fictional books. |
| C．By selecting l or 4 courses. | D．By reading materials of this area. |
| A．Option l. | B．Option 2. |
| C．Option 3. | D．Option 4. |
| A．It is designed for language learners. |
| B．It provides various courses for free. |
| C．It introduces you to areas of interest. |
| D．It is only offered in the first semester. |
【推荐3】The royal family is filled with rules, and one in particular might explain why Princess Charlotte is a princess, but her kids likely won't be.
When it comes to the British royal family, one thing is almost always true: they have a pretty confusing set of official rules and protocols. For instance, the royal family doesn't have a last name. And don't forget the fact that Queen Elizabeth celebrates two birthdays every year.
If your head isn't swimming yet, consider the tradition of royal titles. As a British custom, only the daughter of a prince or a prince's wife may be considered a formal "princess". The latter applies to Kate, who is both a princess and the Duchess of Cambridge thanks to her marriage to Prince William, the Duke of Cambridge. And their children, Prince George and Princess Charlotte, also bear official royal titles because their father is Prince William.
However, while Prince George's future children will also carry their father's royal status, any children that Princess Charlotte has will not automatically be considered princes or princesses. Why? Royal custom dictates that royal titles are passed down via sons, but not daughters.
"Royal titles are inherited through sons, so if Princess Charlotte has children they would not automatically inherit the titles (his or her royal highness) HRH, Prince, or Princess," Lucy Hume, associate director of etiquette experts Debrett's, told Town& Country.
Of course, exceptions can (and will!) be made. (Learn about every time the British royal family broke their own protocol.) The Queen has offered HRH status to other royal offspring in the past, including the children of Queen Elizabeth's daughter, Anne. Although Princess Anne and her husband, Captain Phillips, declined, perhaps Princess Charlotte will be extended the same offer when her own children are born.
1. What’s the meaning of the underlined word “protocols” in the second paragraph?| A．Promise. | B．Behavior. |
| C．Manners. | D．Connection. |
| A．The son of a princess. | B．The daughter of a prince. |
| C．The daughter of a princess. | D．The wife of a king. |
| A．Prince George. | B．Elizabeth. |
| C．Prince William. | D．Captain Philips. |
| A．Any person can break traditional rules. |
| B．Not every person must obey traditional rules. |
| C．Any British royal family member has their own title. |
| D．Maybe the British royal family will break their own rules. |
