For riders of the Lopifit, getting from A to B is as easy as putting one foot in front of the other, with its unusual design helping users to ride around by walking.
Designed by Dutchman Bruin Bergmeester, the electric walking bike called Lopifit is a mixture between a scooter (踏板车), an electric bike and a treadmill (跑步机).
According to Lopifit’s website, bike lover Bergmeester came up with the idea while training in the gym, wondering: “How can I use the treadmill outdoors? What about a treadmill on wheels?”
Four years ago the first Lopifit was created in the Netherlands, now the Lopifit firm is selling the bikes to several countries, including the United States, Mexico and the Caribbean.
The bikes use a motor to support the treadmill, so using the bikes takes “no more effort…than a walk in the park”. As the rider walks, sensors (传感器) record the turning treadmill and kick the motor into gear (齿轮) to support the movement and set the wheels in action.
Lopifit’s bikes come with a heavy pricetag (价格标签), at $2,495 (£1,980) per bike. But bikers can choose their walking bike with a series of colours.
At present, the company is struggling to keep up with the orders from all over the world. Bruin Bergmeester, CEo of the company, says smiling : “Our goal is to make the electric walking bike available for as many people as possible. We want to change the way people move. We wish that everyone can benefit from a greener and cleaner way of transportation that naturally improves your health.”
1. When did Bruin Bergmeester come up with the idea of the Lopifit bike?| A．While he was training on a treadmill in the gym. |
| B．While he was putting one foot in front of the other. |
| C．While he was mixing a scooter and an electric bike. |
| D．While he was using unusual design to help users. |
| A．How to use a motor to support the treadmill. |
| B．How to use the electric walking bike in the park. |
| C．How the electric walking bike really works. |
| D．How sensors kick the motor into gear on the treadmill. |
| A．The Lopifit bikes are getting more and more popular. |
| B．The Lopifit bikes can be available to many people naturally. |
| C．The Lopifit company hopes to help many more people walk. |
| D．The Lopifit company is struggling with Bruin Bergmeester. |
| A．A TV interview. | B．A newspaper. |
| C．A science textbook. | D．A novel. |
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【推荐1】We use robots for tasks like building cars and sorting mails, but can we use them as stand-up comedians(单口相声演员) in the future? One robot called Rob Thespian has been trying out some jokes.
Researchers from Queen Mary University of London organized Rob Thespian’s performances to test whether it could be as funny as a human.
The electronic comedian went on stage for a show with British comedians Andrew O’Neill and Tierney Dourer, performing the same jokes as Dourer but with a few changes—it is a robot after all. The robot has some advantages over human comedians, too.
“We used computer vision and audio software to notice the response of each audience member, something a human comedian cannot do,” said Kalsomines Kate, the robot’s programmer. “The machine used this information to decide who to look at and which gestures to use.”
The robot also has other advantages over human comedians. Impressions of other people and sounds are very popular ways for performers to get laughs, and according to New Scientist reporter Celeste Beaver, the robot can perform recorded sound by simply playing it back. It can also act out programmed pieces from Shakespeare or just about anything else.
“Another of the robot’s advantages is more surprising. Because I feel less empathy(同感) for Rob Thespian than for the human comedians, I feel more relaxed during his performances,” Beaver added. And of course, Rob Thespian is unlikely to feel as nervous as other comedians, or be affected too badly by an audience member shouting at it.
The Queen Mary researchers say they’re most interested in how audiences can be part of live performances. So in the future, we may be watching robots performing exactly the show we want to see. Do you think it’s time for the robot to write some more jokes?
1. Why was Rob Thespian originally developed?| A．To help human comedians perform better on stage. |
| B．To find out if robots could understand human jokes. |
| C．To see if robots could perform like human comedians. |
| D．To assist human comedians to make up some better jokes. |
| A．imitated the audience’s voices to make them laugh |
| B．was affected easily by an audience member shouting at it |
| C．performed the exactly same jokes as Dourer |
| D．recorded each audience member’s reaction and acted accordingly |
| A．He believes the future of comedy lies in them. |
| B．He considers their jokes as rather poor and boring. |
| C．He thinks they aren’t suitable for live performances. |
| D．He feels more comfortable watching their performances. |
| A．The robot comedian Rob Thespian and its advantages. |
| B．Robot technology is used to help us with our daily tasks. |
| C．Predictions of the comedy of the future and concerns about it. |
| D．A comparison between human comedians and robot comedians. |
【推荐2】In the United States, a company is working on a project that could change the way we think about public transportation. Its planned system would move people around in steel tubes. Those passengers would be traveling at speeds of up to 1, 200 kilometers per hour.
The futuristic transportation system is called Hyperloop. Workers plan to test the system next year in a specially built community called Quay Valley. The town will be powered entirely by energy from the sun.
The Hyperloop transport system is the idea of businessman Elon Musk. Dirk Ahlborn is head of Hyperloop Transportation Technologies. He says his company has taken Mr Musk's idea and is developing a system that will be safe, environmentally friendly and fast.
" It's 100 percent solar-powered...we’re not going to get up to 760 miles per hour, but we believe we can actually break the records that are existing right now.”
This means that a four-hour drive from Los Angeles, California to Las Vegas, Nevada, could someday take only 30 minutes by Hyperloop.
The system involves a series of capsules (密封舱) that float inside a long tube. These containers wouldn’t need to travel along a pathway or track. The system has been designed to operate above or below ground.
Inside the tube there is a low pressure environment very similar to an airplane that’s high in the sky . So now the capsule travelling inside the tube doesn’t meet with as much resistance(阻力), and therefore can travel really fast with very little energy.
Dick Ahlborn and his company will use an eight-kilometer track in Quay Valley to find the best way to set up passenger traffic and repair capsules. A larger system will cost an estimated(估算的) 6-10 billion dollars to build.
If Mr Ahlborn and his company succeed, we may one day see these very fast Hyperloo capsules speeding through tubes around the world.
1. Quay Valley is said to be a special town because________.| A．it is very passenger-friendly. |
| B．it will be powered by solar energy |
| C．the public transportation system is well developed |
| D．the Hyperloop steel tubes will be produced there |
| A．travels along a pathway or track | B．mainly runs above ground |
| C．was developed by a businessman | D．aims to operate environmentally friendly |
| A．They are solar-powered. |
| B．They travel high in the sky. |
| C．There is little resistance inside the tube. |
| D．There is a powerful engine to drive them. |
| A．Objective | B．Doubtful |
| C．Supportive. | D．Negative |
| A．Steel Tubes | B．A Creative Businessman |
| C．Hyperloop Transport System | D．Quay Valley |
【推荐3】Lino Marrero, 14, of Frisco, Texas, was on the soccer field when the new inspiration hit.
During a break in practice, Lino discovered that his smartphone was dead and he didn’t have a charger. His mind wandered back to a lesson in school on kinetic energy, a kind of energy produced by an object in motion. Lino thought, “What if I could make use of the energy wasted on the field to power the phone? ”
That moment led Lino to invent the Kinetic Kickz 2.0. It’s something like a rechargeable battery that fits into the sole (鞋底) of a shoe, collecting energy produced from walking. The energy can then be used to power portable devices. Marrero calculates that 12 minutes of walking can generate enough kinetic energy to charge 10% of a cellphone battery.
A device like this could change everyday life for many people. All around the world, there are people who don’t have access to electricity. Being able to even light up a little lightbulb on their ceiling would make a big difference. He dreamed that the technology could be used to create clean energy and limit the effects of climate change.
Lino came up with his first invention when he was in fourth grade. He invented String Ring, an adjustable ban that protects the fingers as they move along the strings of a cello. It won first place in a state competition. Now Lino’s developing a String Ring for guitar player.
“It’s usually been about helping other people, for me, ” Lino says about inventing. The ninth grader encourages others to see their everyday problems as opportunities to come up with ideas for inventions, too. “ Kids are better inventors than grown-ups at times, because they can be more creative, ” Lino says. “ I just want to inspire more people to want to become inventors and help change the world. ”
1. What motivated Lino to invent Kinetic Kickz 2.0?| A．His everyday practice on the soccer field. |
| B．His concerns for the environment protection. |
| C．The helplessness when his phone was out of power. |
| D．The knowledge he learned during his physics lessons. |
| A．It changes people’s thought of fashion. |
| B．It promotes the performance of batteries. |
| C．It has completely changed people’s life. |
| D．It could store the energy generated from moving. |
| A．Responsible and creative. | B．Devoted and ambitious. |
| C．Demanding and cooperative. | D．Optimistic and generous. |
| A．Present a new technology. | B．Tell a story of an inventive boy. |
| C．Introduce an energy- gathering device. | D．Explain the way to become an inventor. |
【推荐1】Attention managers: the next time you need to inspire your team creatively, be more attentive to your employees’ feelings when you deliver negative feedback.
Kim, who worked as a software engineer for Samsung after graduation from college, is familiar with having his creative work picked apart. “I personally hate hearing negative feedback as most people do and I wondered if it really improved my performance, particularly when it came to completing creative tasks.” In two studies, Kim found that negative feedback could help or prevent creativity. What was most important was where the criticism comes from.
When creative professionals or participants received criticism from a boss or a peer, they tended to be less creative in their later work. Interestingly, if a person received negative feedback from an employee of lower rank, they became more creative.
It makes sense that employees might feel threatened by criticism from their managers. Supervisors (监督员，管理者) have a lot of power in deciding promotions or pay raises. So negative feedback from a boss might cause career anxiety. It also stands to reason that feedback from a co-worker might also be received as threatening. We often compete with our peers for the same promotions and chances.
What Kim found most surprising was how criticism proved to improve supervisors through lessons learned from negative feedback that came from their followers (employees that they manage).
“But we tend to believe we shouldn’t criticize the boss,” says Kim. In reality, most supervisors don’t hate negative feedback since they want to learn from it. Another reason is that they are in a natural power position and can deal with the discomfort of negative feedback better.
As for giving suggestions to employees, bosses should point out a follower’s poor performance or weak points in time. But they should keep their feedback specific to tasks. Explain how the point they’re discussing relates to only their task behavior, not to aspects of the person. Meanwhile, feedback receivers need to worry less when it comes to receiving criticism.
1. What’s the purpose of Kim’s study?| A．To improve his essays for graduation. |
| B．To know the influence of criticism on creativity. |
| C．To compete with co-workers for promotions and chances. |
| D．To encourage a culture of criticizing each other in the workplace. |
| A．Some people enjoy negative feedback. |
| B．Managers’ criticism can prevent creativity. |
| C．Followers’ criticism may benefit managers. |
| D．Criticism from co-workers can cause anxiety. |
| A．Workers should accept all the criticism from others. |
| B．People should try to avoid criticizing their co-workers. |
| C．Bosses should give criticism specifically and appropriately. |
| D．Workers should avoid exposing their own personal matters. |
【推荐2】Children walking in their sleep is not uncommon. 20% to 25% of children may sleepwalk at least once in their lifetime. So what is sleepwalking? Sleepwalking is a disorder(紊乱) that occurs during the deepest stage of sleep resulting in walking around or performing "complex” behaviors. These behaviors can range from simply walking around the bedroom,to getting dressed, walking out the front door and even driving. ‘There are several causes, but the most common ones are lack of sleep, stress, and heredity(遗传).
If you see your child sleepwalking, it's important to quietly and calmly direct them back to bed.Interacting with the sleepwalker too much can cause more confusion and even make the event last longer, You don't have to awaken them or force them out of it, but can just guide them back to their bed.
If it happens occasionally,there is no reason to be concerned. It's normal and many of us have sleepwalked at some point. However, if it happens more than twice a week and lasts for a few weeks, or if dangerous behaviors are occurring, further judgement may be necessary, Some children have succeeded in getting outside of the home or injuring themselves during sleepwalking events, both of which can be dangerous. Sometimes sleepwalking is a time that lasts for a few months to a few years. Other times it is caused by an underlying sleep disorder,so treatment could be helpful. If sleepwalking occurs more often, it is recommended that you speak with your doctor.He or she may refer you to a sleep doctor for further judgement.
Sleep studies are sometimes recommended to judge the causes of sleepwalking. These studies allow doctors to identify things like breathing or movement abnormalities. If a sleep disorder is identified, treatments to settle it may decrease your sleepwalking. In other cases, analysis of the child's sleep patterns or stress levels can help identify ways to decrease sleepwalking.
Some families have members that sleepwalk into adulthood, but most will outgrow that behavior during their teenage years. Keeping sleepwalkers safe is the most important part of the process.
1. What do we know about children 's sleepwalking?| A．Sleepwalking children sleep too much. |
| B．Sleepwalking children only walk around. |
| C．Examination anxiety can cause sleepwalking. |
| D．Few children have the sleepwalking problem. |
| A．Calming them down. | B．Following them. |
| C．Waking them up. | D．Leading them to bed. |
| A．suffer a sleep disorder |
| B．sleepwalk now and then |
| C．sleepwalk every other day |
| D．get hurt in sleepwalking |
| A．Describe the treatment process. |
| B．Present some common examples. |
| C．Provide some advice for the readers. |
| D．Introduce a new topic for discussion. |
【推荐3】Plato was upset about the invention of the alphabet(字母表)because, with this “technology”, learners would not use their memories and thus appear to be a know-it-all but actually know nothing. If Plato were alive today, what would he say about ChatGPT? ChatGPT, a conversational artificial intelligence program released recently by OpenAl, is a significant advancement that can produce articles comparable to good high school essays.
When I asked ChatGPT a range of simple questions, the answers were well-reasoned and clear. It’s also interactive: I could ask for more details or request changes. But then, on trickier topics or more complicated concepts, ChatGPT gave completely wrong answers.
However, that doesn’t mean ChatGPT can’t be a useful tool in education. Schools have already been dealing with the internet’s wealth of knowledge, along with its misleading essay factories. One way has been to change how they teach. Rather than listen to a lecture in class and then go home to research and write an essay, students listen to recorded lectures and do research at home, then write essays in class, with supervision, even cooperation with peers(同龄人) and teachers. This is called flipped(翻转的) classrooms, in which students wouldn’t use ChatGPT to create a whole essay. Instead, they’d use it as a tool to generate critically examined building blocks of essays.
Plato was wrong to think that memory itself is a goal, rather than a means for people to have facts so they can make better analyses and arguments. As Plato was wrong to fear the written word as the enemy, we would be wrong to think we should be against a process that allows us to gather information more easily.
The way forward is not just to feel regret for replaced skills, as Plato did, but also to recognize that as more complex skills become essential, our society must fairly educate people to develop them. And then it always goes back to the basics. Value people as people, not just as packs of skills. And that isn’t something ChatGPT can tell us how to do.
1. What would probably be Plato’s attitude toward ChatGPT?| A．Favorable. | B．Uncaring. | C．Critical. | D．Unclear. |
| A．They apply it to correcting mistakes. | B．They use it as a part of their research. |
| C．They rely on it to create a whole essay. | D．They employ it to conduct peer reviews. |
| A．He laid stress on memory too much. |
| B．He failed to tell facts from opinions. |
| C．He doubted easily accessible information. |
| D．He used written words to attack his enemy. |
| A．Updating and improving ChatGPT. |
| B．Breathing fresh life into replaced skills. |
| C．Equipping all people with necessary skills. |
| D．Bringing people with different skills together. |
