British shoppers buy 2.15 million tonnes of clothing and shoes annually, yet UK citizens have an estimated £30 billion worth of unused clothing gathering dust at the back of the wardrobe（衣柜）. But new technology could see the end of that, with the garments themselves giving owners a gentle reminder of their existence.
“Smart clothes” could help us clear out our drawers by sending messages or tweeting us if they haven't been worn for a good while. If these alerts are ignored, the garments will get in touch with a clothing charity and ask to be reused, with an organization automatically sending out donation information. They could also be programmed to put themselves up for auction（拍卖） on eBay.
Academics at Birmingham City University are developing the “connected wardrobe” to encourage more suitable clothes consumption. The concept sees garments tagged（给……加标签） using washable contactless technology, known as radio-frequency identification.
Mark Brill, senior lecturer at Birmingham City, said: “Think of the surprise when an owner suddenly receives bids for items they didn't know were in their wardrobe”.
“The connected wardrobe is a practical, pleasant concept to encourage people to think about their clothing consumption. Finally, I hope it will encourage more appropriate fashion consumption,” He added, “Perhaps we can even move away from the idea of ‘ownership’ of clothing. When we’ve worn them enough, the items will pass themselves on to their next keeper to wear.”
It follows in the footsteps of the “Internet of Things” — a concept that sees ordinary household items connecting to the internet in order to share information. From adjusting your alarm clock to monitoring the temperature of your home, the Internet is changing the way we live.
Now, the “Internet of Clothes” will see that neglected garments will tweet and text the owners “asking” to be worn depending on the weather and frequency of wear. Clothes will keep track of other information such as who owned it previously, as well as how much it originally cost, who made it and how much the worker was paid for it.
1. What does the author say about “smart clothes”?| A．They have gained in popularity. | B．They may be donated on eBay. |
| C．They may be recycled if long forgotten. | D．They give warnings if worn out. |
| A．It changes people’s shopping habits. |
| B．It helps people buy cheaper clothes. |
| C．It improves people’s consumer confidence. |
| D．It contributes to right consumption attitudes. |
| A．Clothes are sold online at a low price. |
| B．Internet is a platform to share items. |
| C．Clothes can be a source of information. |
| D．Weather affects the connected wardrobe. |
| A．Approving. | B．Skeptical. | C．Critical. | D．Uninterested. |
相似题推荐
【推荐1】We all regard receiving presents as a pleasant experience and yet it can be one of the most awkward situations. It is often difficult to look pleased when you receive a gift which is useless or the wrong size.
So you will have to tell your favourite aunt that the T-shirt does not fit. But an exchange is not always that simple because there has to be a good reason for it.
But if you are returning something, no matter what the reason is, you will be expected to have proof of purchase. If the receipt cannot be found, then it is possible to use another proof of purchase such as a credit card receipt. If all of these have been lost, you may have to rely on a witness.
Many big stores have a much more tolerant policy towards return and see it as a gesture of good will to exchange goods without question. Stores including Marks & Spencer are well-known for their “no argument” policy on returned goods.
So if a shop refuses to exchange the goods or to offer a refund, the seller is likely to be within his legal rights unless there is something wrong with the goods. In that case, the boot is on the other foot. You have every right to demand a cash refund or a replacement, but only if you have returned it within a “reasonable” time.
| A．It is unlike anything you would buy for yourself. |
| B．However, shoppers should remember this is a privilege, not a right. |
| C．Unfortunately, the law does not explain what it meant by “reasonable”. |
| D．All you can do is exchange it after your friend or relative has gone home. |
| E．Either the thing has to be broken or unsuitable for the job it was intended to do. |
| F．You should make clear what your legal position is before returning goods to the shop. |
Do you love the winter holidays but hate being bored? Then why don’t you enter the Film Street Summer Shorts Competition by making a short film this winter with your family and friends?
What you have to do
To enter the competition, you have to make a short film that is around 5 minutes long (It can be shorter but not longer!) on a digital camera, or mobile phone.
Awards
The best short film entered into our competition will be shown in Film Street’s Cinema and you’ll win a Cineworld Cinema pass for yourself and three more for other members of your filmmaking crew (演职员)。 If you have a Cineworld Cinema pass, you can watch as many films as you like for a year, for free, at any Cineworld Cinema.
Rules
We can’t show films that tell others about either your or any other kids’ names or addresses.
We can’t show films that hurt, harm or insult (侮辱) other people.
We can’t show films that have bad languages.
Copyright Checklist (版权清单)
Getting permission to use someone else’s work in your film can be expensive, so check your film to make sure that:
Your film is
There are no scenes of branding on shop signs, books, magazines or CDs.
There are no scenes of anyone else’s artwork.
Address and Date
Post your finished film on tape, CD or DVD by Monday, October 1st, 2011 to:
Film Street Summer Short Competition
First Light Movies
Unit 6, Third Floor, The Bond
180-182 Fazeley Street
Birmingham
So what’s stopping you? Start making your Film Street Summer Short now!
1. Who is the passage mainly written for?
| A．Students | B．Parents |
| C．Teachers | D．Actors |
| A．One | B．Two |
| C．Three | D．Four |
| A．the winner’s short film can be shown in any cinema |
| B．the competition is held by Cineworld Cinema |
| C．the winner can watch films for free for one year at any Cineworld Cinema.\ |
| D．the winner will be paid for his short film |
| A．interesting enough |
| B．exciting enough |
| C．good for children |
| D．made by yourself |
【推荐3】Most dictionaries will tell you a number of things about a language. There are three important things. These three things are spelling, pronunciation(发音) and meaning.
First, a dictionary will tell you the spelling of a word. If you are not sure about the spelling of a word, you can try to find the correct spelling in a dictionary. Words are listed in an alphabetical (字母表的) order —— a, b, c and so on. For example, on a dictionary page the "poor" comes before "poverty" and the word "poverty" comes before the "power".
The words are always given in alphabetical order. The second thing, a dictionary will tell you the pronunciation. Most dictionaries give phonetic , or sound alphabet. The phonetic alphabet (音标) shows pronunciation. The third thing, a dictionary will tell you the meaning of words. You can look up a word and find out what it means. Many words have more than one meaning, and a good dictionary will tell you all of the word’s meanings. For example, in English the common word "get" has over 20 different meanings.
1. Many words have ______.| A．several meanings | B．one meaning |
| C．few meanings | D．no meaning |
| A．more of word’s pronunciation | B．more of the word’s meanings |
| C．more of grammar | D．more of the word’s spelling. |
| A．handwritings | B．spelling |
| C．meanings | D．pronunciation |
| A．Four | B．Five |
| C．Three | D．Two |
【推荐1】Pet owners, at least in the West, are more likely than other people to be vegans(素食主义者). That puts many of them in a difficult situation when it comes to feeding their pets like cats and dogs. But technology may soon sort it out. The idea of growing meat for human consumption, in the form of cell cultures, is now becoming popular. Some see in this approach a way to give pet owners peace of mind by offering different food. Among these forward thinkers are Shannon Falconer and Joshua Errett, the founders of Because Animals, a firm based in Philadelphia. They have taken the idea to what might be seen as its logical conclusion, for the starting point of their cultured cat food is a mouse.
One of Because Animals' competitors, Wild Earth, of Berkeley, California, which had had similar thoughts about making cat food from cultured mouse cells, chose to withdraw after finding itself on the receiving end of aggressive responses based on the misunderstanding that the production process would involve killing mice. Wild Earth has now teamed up with other developers of cultured meat to investigate the possibilities of fish and chicken cells instead. It plans to launch products made by mixing these with its existing vegan pet food recipes.
A third firm, Bond Pet Foods of Boulder, Colorado, is developing something one step yet further removed from conventional pet food. It, too, works with chickens. But instead of growing their cells directly, it is inserting genes for nutritionally important chicken proteins into cells of brewer’s yeast (啤酒酵母). These reproduce faster than chicken cells do, and nurturing them is a well-understood art. Bond hopes to have dog food containing proteins from these cells on the market by 2023.
As a consequence of their target market —devoted " pet parents" —all three firms hope to sell at good prices. Moreover, manufacturers of laboratory meat, whether intended for people or for pets, can claim green credentials (环保资质). Dr Falconer says that a kilogram of cultured meat produces just 1.7kg of carbon-dioxide emissions, compared with 27kg from the same quantity of beef.
1. What is Because Animals aiming to do?| A．Produce guilt-free pet food. |
| B．Turn family pets into vegans. |
| C．Prevent humans abusing animals. |
| D．Grow meat for human consumption. |
| A．The unavailability of technology. |
| B．The lack of cooperating companies. |
| C．The killings involved in the process. |
| D．The pressure from the general public. |
| A．It takes cells from chickens. |
| B．It uses a fast-working approach. |
| C．It contains different types of protein. |
| D．It adds traditional food to brewer’s yeast. |
| A．It’s cost-effective. | B．It' s good-looking. |
| C．It' s eco-friendly. | D．It’s custom-made. |
One day, people could get their Amazon deliveries from an “unmanned aerial vehicle”—a timely vehicle that looks like a toy helicopter. And instead of waiting days to get the parcel, it could be at the buyer’s home in half an hour or less. The company is working on a fleet of tiny vehicles they call “Prime Air”. The vehicles are also known as “octocopters”. On their website, Amazon says, “One day, Prime Air Vehicles will be as normal as seeing a mail trucks on the road today.”
The U.S.’s Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is working on safety regulations for unmanned flying vehicles like the Prime Air copters. Those regulations will make sure the copters are able to fly safely where they need to go. Once the FAA has put its rules in place, which could be as early as 2016, Amazon will be ready with its fleet of tiny flyers. The process could take as many as five years.
The new delivery service would likely be available only in the United States, at first. The copters the company is testing now can handle packages up to five pounds (2.3kg) and they have a range of 10 miles (16 kilometers).
Other companies are also looking at using unmanned flying vehicles to deliver their products. For instance, Domino’s Pizza in the U.K. released a video showing a “DomiCopter”, delivering a pizza. That video may have been a publicity stunt (噱头). In any case, just like Prime Air’s octocopters, the DomiCopters don’t have clearance (许可)to take off just yet.
1. For what purpose does Amazon want to use the Prime Air?
| A．To predict the sales volume. |
| B．To check the delivery service. |
| C．To shorten the delivery period. |
| D．To remind people to order online. |
| A．The Prime Air Vehicles will still travel on the road. |
| B．The Amazon’s delivery system needs to be improved. |
| C．The Prime Air Vehicles will be widely put into use soon. |
| D．The creation of the Prime Air Vehicles was inspired by the mail trucks. |
| A．the design plans |
| B．the delivery price |
| C．the driver’s training |
| D．the safety assessment |
| A．Its safety. | B．Its delivery ability. |
| C．Its appearance. | D．Its moving speed. |
| A．The new delivery service has attracted more customers. |
| B．The designer of Amazon has promoted “Prime Air” to other company. |
| C．Another unmanned vehicle has been put into use by a British pizza company. |
| D．Unmanned vehicles could possibly be developed and employed by more companies. |
【推荐3】Stroke(中风) survivors often struggle with manipulating objects. They lose the sensation (知觉) in their hands and fingers, which is the usual impairment(损伤) they experience daily. This condition affects their activities and lowers the quality of their lives to an extent. As a solution to this problem, a group of scientists from the UK’s University of Hertfordshire has developed a special touchpad that can allow them to feel once again.
In an article by E&T, the University of Hertfordshire researchers have created a unique invention that can bring back the sense of touch among stroke survivors. This particular device is capable of sending tiny vibrations(振动) to the patient’s fingertips. This will give life to the brain cells so they can function once again and restore the sensation of the limbs.
If the survivor wears this device, they could now normally function as before. They can do tasks on their own without asking for help from other people. “Improvement in touch sensation should lead to them being able to sense that they are holding hands. That definitely should be possible,” Dr. Am it Pujari, the inventor of the device, said.
During the British Science Festival, the device developer urged the participants to tell if they had sensations on their hands while the tool was placed. The trial lasted for 10 minutes. The researchers found that 20 to 40%of them have shown an improved sensation in their limbs.
Besides enhancing the patient's movements, the test proved that it could also be a huge help in improving a patient's mental well-being. The study is expected to undergo a peer review in the future. The experts are still wondering about the device's impact in the long run. They also want to tackle how effective it is for patients who suffer from stroke.
1. What’s the function of the special touchpad?| A．Increasing stroke survivors' brain cells. |
| B．Changing the way stroke survivors seize objects. |
| C．Helping stroke survivors regain the sense of touch. |
| D．Monitoring the life quality of stroke survivors. |
| A．Preventing stroke. | B．Restoring the sensation of hands. |
| C．Turning to others for help. | D．Wearing the special device. |
| A．It has undergone a peer review. |
| B．It cures stroke immediately. |
| C．It helps improve patients' mental health. |
| D．It has produced long-term impact on patients. |
| A．It’s negative. | B．It’s typical. |
| C．It’s encouraging. | D．It’s disappointing. |
【推荐1】While we were searching the heavens, science and all the corners of the Earth, the secret of immortality (永生) may have been floating in the ocean this whole time in the form of a jellyfish (水母).
Jellyfish start their lives as tiny cigar-shaped creatures that move in circles through the water, looking for a rock or something handy to attach itself to. Once firmly in place, they transform into polyps (水螅), which are small creatures with a body shaped like a tube. When the conditions are right, these polyps bloom in large numbers and when they bloom, baby jellyfish are produced.
If the start of jellyfish life wasn't extraordinary enough, its death is where things get really exciting. When the medusa jellyfish dies, it sinks to the bottom and begins to die. Amazingly, its cells then reorganize, not into a new medusa, but into polyps, and from these polyps comes new jellyfish. The jellyfish has skipped to an earlier life stage to begin again. Dr. Lisa-ann Gershwin, a jellyfish researcher says, “It’s one of the most amazing discoveries of our time.”
It's not just the medusa jellyfish that can rise from its own ashes. In 2011, a biology student in China kept a moon jellyfish in a tank. When it died, he kept the body in another tank. Three months later, a new tiny polyp was growing out the top of the moon jellyfish. This regeneration process has now been found in around five species of jellyfish.
So aside from immortality, what’s the benefit for the jellyfish itself? Why do it? Well, it means when it becomes weakened either by age or illness, or it faces danger, it can call up its incredible survival mechanism and regenerate.
Although Dr. Gershwin says she can’t see any link currently between jellyfish immortality and our own, it doesn’t mean it would not be possible in the future. Who knows? A few jellyfish genes and we could all be like Doctor Who, regenerating whenever we want.
1. What do we know about jellyfish’s rebirth?| A．It brings jellyfish no benefits. | B．It only occurs in four species. |
| C．It goes through different life stages. | D．It produces a new jellyfish directly. |
| A．To introduce a new topic. | B．To compare different study methods. |
| C．To point out the limits of the view. | D．To provide more evidence for the view. |
| A．Positive. | B．Negative. | C．Doubtful. | D．Unclear. |
| A．The Secret of Immortality | B．The Jellyfish That Never Dies |
| C．The Process of Jellyfish's Rebirth | D．The Knowledge Obtained from Jellyfish |
【推荐2】The common cold is the world’s most widespread illness, which is probably why there are more myths about it than any of the other illnesses.
The most widespread mistake of all is that colds are caused by cold. They are not. They are caused by viruses passing on from person to person. You catch a cold by coming into contact, directly or indirectly, with someone who already has one. If cold causes colds, it would be reasonable to expect the Eskimos to suffer from them forever. But they do not. And in isolated Arctic regions explorers have reported being free from colds until coming into contact again with infected (感染的) people from the outside world by way of packages and mail dropped from airplanes.
At the Common Cold Research Unit in England, volunteers took part in Experiments. After taking hot baths, they put on bathing suits, allowed themselves to be doused (浸入) with cold water, and then stood about dripping wet in drafty (通风的) rooms. Some wore wet socks all day while others exercised in the rain until close to exhaustion. Not one of the volunteers came down with a cold unless a cold virus was actually dropped in his nose.
If, then, cold and wet have nothing to do with catching colds, why are they more frequent in the winter? One explanation offered by scientists is that people tend to stay together indoors more in cold weather than at other times, and this makes it easier for cold viruses to be passed on.
No one has yet found a cure for the cold. There are drugs and pain suppressors (止痛片) such as aspirin, but all they do is to relieve the symptoms.
1. What does the fact that the Eskimos don’t suffer colds show?| A．Colds are really full of myths. |
| B．Viruses are the factors causing colds. |
| C．Colds are more severe than other illnesses. |
| D．The idea that cold leads to colds doesn’t stand up. |
| A．Being doused with cold water did harm to one’s body. |
| B．Taking hot baths made the volunteers easy to be tired. |
| C．It was viruses not wet and cold that made people have colds. |
| D．People who would like to exercise in the rain got colds more easily. |
| A．Staying together indoors makes it easier for viruses to pass on. |
| B．People are usually weak because of the extreme cold in winter. |
| C．Viruses can go into people’s warm bodies more easily in winter. |
| D．There is great difference between indoor and outdoor temperature. |
| A．The myths about colds. | B．The experiments on colds. |
| C．The continued spread of common colds. | D．The reason and the way people catch colds. |
【推荐3】Humans produce 300 million tons of plastic waste every year -which is roughly equivalent (相当于) to the total weight of all humans living right now. But a new discovery offers hope, and could improve the way we deal with plastic.
Scientists at the U.S. Department of Energy’s Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory have designed a plastic that can be recycled (回收) over and over again, and turned into new materials of any color, shape, or form. They are calling it polydiketoenamine or PDK, and this new plastic can be broken apart all the way down to the molecular (分子的) level.
Brett Helms, the staff scientist at the Berkeley Lab who led the research, told ABC News that the new discovery “could significantly reduce the leakage (泄漏) of plastics into the environment.”
“That broken black watchband you threw in the rubbish could find new life as a computer keyboard if it’s made with our PDK plastics”, Helms said.
Many plastics used today were made with chemicals that make them stronger, but these chemicals can also make it more difficult to fully recycle the material or recycle them repeatedly. Over time, researchers say, even ‘recyclable’ plastics may end up in a landfill.
The Berkeley Lab says these types of chemicals had previously prevented plastic from achieving “the holy grail of recycling,” and that PDK plastic might be the answer.
“If these factories were designed to recycle or upcycle PDK and related plastics, then we would be able to more effectively remove plastic from landfills and the oceans,” Helms said.
Researchers say the next plan is to develop PDK plastics to use in cloth, building materials, and 3D printing.
The researcher’s findings are published in full in Nature Chemistry.
1. What is the clear advantage of PDK plastics over many plastics used today?| A．PDK plastics are light. |
| B．PDK plastics are strong. |
| C．PDK plastics can be recycled repeatedly. |
| D．PDK plastics are used the most widely in the world. |
| A．is useless | B．can be recycled |
| C．can be used again | D．is not made with PDK plastics |
| A．the final goal | B．the new discovery |
| C．the bad condition | D．serious pollution |
| A．Publish their findings. | B．Find new ways to use PDK plastics. |
| C．Sell their new discovery. | D．Produce more PDK plastics. |
【推荐1】Resilient: How to Grow an Unshakable Core of Calm, Strength, and Happiness, by Rick Hanson and Forrest Hanson
Psychologist Rick Hanson believes that resilience (适应力) comes from developing positive inner strength. Resilient (co-authored with his son, Forrest Hanson) explores a dozen of these strengths, from gratitude (感恩) to calm to generosity. Based on Rick Hanson s stories, you get the sense that he has applied these techniques to overcome the wounds of his pas t, and wants to help readers do the same. This book offers not just a series of tips, but also a framework for learning and growth that can be applied to many things we want to improve.
When: The Scientific Secrets of Perfect Timing, by Daniel Pink
Research shows that we all have peak (巅峰状态的) moments during the day when we are at our best, and Pink warns us to save tasks requiring concentration for those times of the day. Understanding how timing works can save us countless hours of low productivity. Pink s book provides lots of advice on when it s best to do different activities.
The Deepest Well: Healing the Long-Term Effects of Childhood Adversity, by Nadine Burke Harris
When Dr. Harris set up the Bayview Child Health Center in 2007, she immediately noticed an association between traumatic (痛苦的) experiences and health outcomes in the children she treated. Childhood trauma leads to more physical and mental illness in adulthood. Harris s book combines a huge amount of experience and research into an interesting story about the lasting consequence of childhood trauma — and how we might overcome it.
Rage Becomes Her: The Power of Women’s Anger, by Soraya Chemaly
Anger is an emotion associated with power and strength. But women aren’t always comfortable expressing it, in part because their anger is often misunderstood. Chemaly’s book provides tips for channeling anger in constructive ways, including accepting your anger, developing body confidence, being brave, and owning your power.
1. What do we know about the author Rick Hanson?| A．He is Forrest Hanson’s son. | B．He suffered a lot in his past life. |
| C．His opinion came from research. | D．His book focuses on women readers. |
| A．Daniel Pink’s. | B．Rick Hanson’s. |
| C．Soraya Chemaly’s. | D．Nadine Burke Harris’s. |
| A．When. | B．Resilient. |
| C．The Deepest Well. | D．Rage Becomes Her. |
| Position: Home>Book A Trip> Tips for Arriving by Air: 1.According to the Embassy of the People's Republic of China in the French Republic, starting from December 1, 2020, all Chinese and foreign passengers flying from France to China are required to conduct the sampling and testing of a nucleic acid test and an IgM anti-body test at testing institutions in France within 2 days before boarding. They must obtain the certificates of negative results of both tests issued by the organizations to apply for the green health declaration code with the “HS" mark or “HDC" mark from the local Embassy of China in France. Please visit the official Embassy website at http://www.amb-chine.fr/chn/zgzfg/zgsg/lsb/t1835249.htm for further details. To avoid any delay on your trip, please be sure to keep a close eye on the local requirements prior to your flight departure. Thank you for your understanding and support! 2. Starting from November 16,2020,China Eastern Airlines and Shanghai Airlines will suspend transit services of passengers originating from Africa, Argentina, and India passing by a third country to China. 3.Passengers transiting by way of a third country please pay particular attention to the specific visa requirements of the transiting country. Select A Flight  |
| A．Take two nucleic acid tests. |
| B．Visit the official Embassy website. |
| C．Pay attention to the local requirements upon arriving. |
| D．Have the green health declaration code with the "HS" or "HDC" mark. |
| A．They are not allowed to fly to Shanghai. |
| B．They must hold a specific visa to enter China. |
| C．They must first fly to France and then go on flying to Shanghai. |
| D．Shanghai Airline won't fly them if they are not taking a direct flight. |
| A．The one on Sunday. | B．The one on Monday. |
| C．The one on Wednesday. | D．The one on Friday |
【推荐3】Starman, the dummy(仿真人) riding a cherry-red Tesla Roadster(特斯拉敞篷车) through space, has made his closest approach ever to Mars. The electric roadster and its passenger were attached to the top of a Falcon Heavy rocket during the SpaceX rocket’s first test launch on 6 February 2018. Two years later, the Falcon Heavy rocket and the vehicle at its tip are making their second trip around the Sun. Mr. McDowell, a Harvard astrophysicist, found that Starman passed 7.4 million kilometres from Mars at 06:25 GMT 7 October, 2020.
The closest recent approach between the Earth and Mars was 56 million kilometres in 2003, though the planets are often hundreds of millions of miles apart depending on where they are in their orbits. No one can see the Falcon Heavy rocket at its current distance, but orbits over periods of a few years are fairly straightforward to predict, and Mr. MeDowell used data about how the rocket was moving when it left the Earth’s gravity behind to locate its recent movements exactly.
Last time Starman circled the Sun, MeDowell said, it crossed Mars’ orbit while the Red Planet was quite far away. But this time the crossing lined up with a fairly close approach, though still not close enough to feel a strong tug from Mars.
At this point in time, if you were able to go look at the Roadster, it would probably look pretty different. The strong solar radiation environment between the planets would probably have destroyed all the exposed organic materials. Without the Earth’s atmospheric and magnetic(磁场的) protection, even the plastics and carbon-fibre materials would start to break up. Over the course of decades or centuries, the car will end up with its aluminium(铝) frame and hard glass parts----that’s assuming that none of them get destroyed in impacts with passing space rocks.
1. What can we infer from the first paragraph?| A．Starman has set out on its second trip around the Sun. |
| B．Starman has travelled 7.4 million kilometres after launch. |
| C．Starman is now circling around the Earth in its orbit. |
| D．Starman still has a long way to go before getting to Mars. |
| A．By keeping Starman under visual observation. |
| B．By predicting its future orbit around the earth. |
| C．By analyzing data about the rocket’s movement. |
| D．By seeking professional help from SpaceX. |
| A．pressure | B．drive | C．resistance | D．pull |
| A．Be reduced to its frame and glass. | B．Crash onto Mars. |
| C．Return to SpaceX on the earth. | D．Be recovered during its next space mission. |
