【推荐1】Jennifer van den Broeke tried riding her son and daughter around Amsterdam, the capital city of the Netherlands, on her old bike with two child seats, but it was sometimes unsafe. That was when she decided to join the growing Dutch army of pedaling parents using so-called transport bikes.

Now Jennifer’s 8-month-old son Jasper and 3-year-old daughter Benthe can climb into the wooden box of her new transport bike so she can ride them around town. “With the kids and the shopping bags and everything, this is just easier,”said Jennifer. “It’s a very strong bike.”

The transport bike, called a bakfiets in Dutch, is making a comeback decades after butchers, bakers — maybe even candlestick makers, who first began using them to carry their wares (物品) around the narrow streets of this nation’s towns and cities. The bikes, with two or three wheels, have a wooden or plastic box on the front or between the front and back wheels.

Nowadays cars and vans crowd city streets. Regular bikes have remained popular, but for parents with a couple of kids, the car was often the only option.Not anymore.

Maarten van Andel, a 46-year-old native, started making cargo bikes last year when he was looking for a cheap way to transport his two children around Amsterdam. “It’s a timesaving device,” he said. “It’s a lot quicker to get around town with your kids in a bakfiets than in a car.”

Henry Cutler, who runs an Amsterdam cycle store, says there are 5,000-10,000 floating around Amsterdam. He sometimes sounds like he’s selling not just bikes, but a way of life. “We are trying to promote products that change people’s perspective about living. Bikes are not fast, but does life have to be fast?” he said.“Many families with small children want to try it because they believe it is a better and easier way to get around,” said Erik Oddershede, the manager of the Danish national bicycle shop organization, Danske Cykelhandlere.

1. What do we know about the transport bike?

A．It sometimes causes safety problems on the road.

B．It usually has a wooden or plastic box at its back.

C．It was once common decades ago in the Netherlands.

D．It is now widely used by Dutch butchers and bakers.

2. What does the author mean by saying “Not anymore”?

A．Parents with two or more kids have another choice.

B．Regular bikes have become more and more popular.

C．Maarten Van Andel was more interested in cargo bikes.

D．Nowadays there are fewer traffic problems in the city.

3. Who says that people should live at an unhurried pace?

A．Henry Cutler.	B．Erik Oddershede.
C．Maarten Van Andel.	D．Jennifer Van den Broeke.

4. What is the text mainly about?

A．The traffic problems in Amsterdam.

B．The lifestyle of people in Amsterdam.

C．The sales of transport bikes in Amsterdam.

D．The popularity of a bakfiets in Amsterdam.

【推荐2】General Airport Tips
Plan to get to the airport at least an hour early, or two during holidays and other busy times; this will reduce the stress of the flight. If all goes well, you will have time to relax, shop for last-minute items, or have a meal before the flight.
Flight Delays
Find out why your flight is delayed. Call the free call numbers. Find out if other airlines are experiencing similar delays. If you believe the delay is due to something other than weather or air traffic problems, then mention your suspicion （怀疑） and ask the airline agent to book you on the next available flight, either on the same air-line or a competing one. This is called "Rule 240", and all airlines are required to do it. Use the lingo （行话）; ask, "Can you 240 me?" when speaking with an agent. They will know what you mean.
Flight Cancellations （取消）
If your flight is canceled, then make a reservation on the next flight to your destination（目的地）. Usually, air-line officials will try to book everyone on their next flight out. Often they will put you on a competitor's next flight only if you request it. If on-time arrival is important to you, when you check flights through our reservation system you can make your choices based on their on-time arrival records. Be sure to also check the weather conditions, as they often affect flight schedules.
Getting bumped （不能登机）
To avoid getting bumped, you must be at the loading gate at least 10 minutes ahead of scheduled departure（离开） for a U.S. Flight, 20 minutes to /from Bahamas, Canada, and Mexico and 30 to/ from all other international points. You must be at the loading gate, not the airport entrance.
1. By arriving at the airport earlier, one can _______.

A．get on the airplane immediately

B．reduce the pressure of the flight

C．have a good rest in the airplane

D．buy what he wants in the airport

2. If a person calls "Rule 240", he wants to _______.

A．make sure the time for the next plane

B．get a ticket for the next flight

C．know if other flights are also delayed

D．ask about the reason for the plane delay

3. After a flight cancellation, you can_______.

A．arrive at your destination on time

B．be put on a competitor’s flight

C．make sure the weather is quite fine

D．reserve the next flight to your destination

4. People heading for Germany must be at the loading gate at least__________.

A．40 minutes ahead of time.

B．30 minutes ahead of time.

C．20 minutes ahead of time.

D．10 minutes ahead of time.

【推荐3】Gold Coast family holidays are always great fun whether you are from Australia or from abroad. There are beautiful beaches, adventure parks, nature parks and so many more.

There are so many sights to see here. It is a pity to drive in a car and you’ll miss a great part of it. Australia is home to many animals and birds that can only be seen when moving slowly and going into the areas where they live.

When you are on a bicycle, you have the advantage of being able to stop whenever you want to see an interesting animal or bird that you have never seen before. It is a quieter mode (方式) of transportation as well, so you might even be able to take a picture. When you are on the beach, you can breathe that clean air and view the beauty of the water and sand. It is a totally different experience from either simply sunbathing or passing it in a car.

There are many choices of hiring a bicycle to experience the Gold Coast attractions. There are stores that will fit a bike perfectly to your size. These bikes for both adults and children are in many styles and colors to please any taste. If you have ever wanted to try a tandem bike (双人单车), now is your chance, because they have those too.

A bicycle hire on Gold Coast is something that everyone should try at least once. This is a wonderful chance for anyone who likes to cycle and it is also a cheap way to travel with your family.

1. Driving in a car on Gold Coast is not suggested because ______.

A．you will break the traffic rules

B．you can’t enjoy the beautiful scenery well

C．you will cause much noise

D．you can’t drive into some parks

2. The following advantages of hiring bikes are mentioned EXCEPT that ______.

A．it is a good way to do sunbathing

B．it is a cheap way of traveling

C．you can get a clearer sight of animals

D．you can take photos of animals

3. What’ s the author’s attitude towards a bike hire on Gold Coast?

A．He doesn’t like this way of traveling.

B．He thinks it is a personal choice.

C．He supports it very much.

D．He thinks it is only good for adults.

4. What is Paragraph 4 mainly about?

A．How to hire bikes on Gold Coast.

B．What kinds of bikes there are in stores.

C．What bikes are the most popular.

D．Who can hire bikes on Gold Coast.

【推荐2】

Toyota is working with Japan’s space agency on a vehicle to explore the lunar surface, with ambitions to help people live on the moon by 2040 and then go live on Mars. The vehicle being developed is called Lunar Cruiser, whose name shows respect to the popular Toyota vehicle Land Cruiser.

The vehicle is based on the idea that people eat, work, sleep and communicate with others safely in cars, and the same can be done in outer space, said Takao Sato, who heads the Lunar Cruiser project at Toyota Motor Corp.

“We see space as an area for our once in-a-century transformation. By going to space, we may be able to develop telecommunications and other technology that will prove valuable to human life,” Sato said.

Gitai Japan Inc. , a partner with Toyota, has developed a robotic arm for the Lunar Cruiser, designed to perform tasks such as carrying out inspections and maintaining the vehicle. The arm can work like different tools, scooping, lifting and sweeping.

Japanese craziness about the moon has been growing. A private Japanese company called ispace Inc. is working on lunar rovers (探月车), landing and orbiting, and is scheduled for a moon landing later this year. Businessman Yusaku Maezawa, who recently took videos of himself floating around in the International Space Station, has booked an orbit around the moon aboard Tesla CEO Elon Musk s Starship.

Toyota engineer Shinichiro Noda said he is excited about the lunar project, an extension of the automaker s longtime mission to serve customers and the moon may provide valuable resources for life on Earth. “ Sending our cars to the moon is our mission, ” he said, “ Toyota has vehicles almost everywhere, but this is about taking our cars to somewhere we have never been. ”

1. What is the purpose of the Lunar Cruiser project?

A．To make safe cars.	B．To explore the moon.
C．To send people to space.	D．To comfort the passengers.

2. What is paragraph 5 mainly about?

A．Japan’s aim to explore space.	B．Japan’s interest in the moon.
C．The achievements in space travel.	D．The cooperation in transporting the rover.

3. What is Shinichiro Noda’s attitude towards the lunar project?

A．Worried.

B．Positive.

C．Unconcerned.

D．Doubtful.

4. Which of the following can be a suitable title for the text?

A．Japan’s Curiosity in Moon Travel

B．Lunar Rovers: to Be Landed on Mars

C．Contributions Made in Exploring Mars

D．Lunar Cruiser: Toyota Developing Vehicle for the Moon

【推荐3】The idea that computers have some amount of “intelligence” is not new, says Ralph Haupter, the president of Microsoft Asia, pointing as far back as 1950 when computer pioneer Alan Turing asked whether machines can think. “So it has taken nearly 70 years for the right combination of factors to come together to move AI from concept to reality,” says Haupter.

It is predicted that the development of artificial intelligence will be the story of the coming generations, not just the coming year, but as 2019 gets underway, you’ll find AI will begin to touch your life in many ways according to some researchers.

“Personal assistant AIs will keep getting smarter. As our personal assistants learn more about our daily routines, I can imagine the day I need not to worry about preparing dinner. My AI knows what I like to eat, which days of the week I like to cook at home, and makes sure that when I get back from work all my groceries are waiting at my doorstep, ready for me to prepare that delicious meal I had been longing for.” ---Alecjandro Troccoli, senior research scientist, NVIDIA.

“Thanks to AI, the face will be the new credit card, the new driver’s license and the new barcode (条形码). Facial recognition is already completely transforming security with biometric capabilities being adopted, and seeing how technology and business are connected, like Amazon is with Whole Foods, I can see a near future where people will no longer need to stand in line at the store.” ---Georges Nahon, president, Orange Institute, a global research laboratory.

“2019 will be the year AI becomes real for medicine. By the end of the year we’re seeing solutions for population health, hospital operations and a broad set of clinical specialties quickly follow behind.” ---Mark Michalski, executive director, Massachusetts General Hospital.

1. What can we know about AI from the first two paragraphs?

A．People didn't expect AI to develop so rapidly.

B．The idea of AI just came up recently.

C．The concept of AI was put forward by Ralph Haupter.

D．It took more than 70 years to turn the concept into reality.

2. Who sees the future of AI doing housework instead of human being?

A．Alan Turing.

B．Georges Nahon.

C．Mark Michalski.

D．Alejandro Troccoli.

3. What is Georges Nahon’s job?

A．Executive director of a hospital.	B．President of a research laboratory.
C．Chairman of an energy corporation.	D．Chief operating officer of a newspaper.

4. How is the passage developed?

A．By explaining cause and effect.	B．By presenting research results.
C．By listing some predictions.	D．By describing personal experiences.

【推荐2】Every year in May, museums prepare shows to honor Leonardo Da Vinci, who died in France on May 2,1519. He is remembered as one of the greatest artists and creative thinkers of all time. His most famous paintings are The Mona Lisa and The Last Supper.

Recently, researchers have been studying a painting, Landscape8P which they think is Da Vinci’s earliest-known artwork. They used special lighting to study the artwork and discovered there were two images (图像), not one. One drawing is on the back of the piece, which dates back to August 5, 1473.

The drawing on the front was painted when Leonardo was 21 years old. It shows a river valley and a castle outside the city of Florence. There is little left of the drawing on the back, perhaps because it was wiped off. Only a bridge over a river can be seen. But there is writing on both sides.

The writing on the front gives the date and goes from right to left. Some people would call this “mirror-writing”. It’s a way Leonardo often wrote in his notebooks. The writing on the back goes from left to right and tells about an agreement, probably to produce a work of art.

Cecilia Frosinini is an art historian. She said, “Leonardo was born left-handed, but was taught to write with his right hand from a very young age. By looking at his writings, including from this drawing, we can see his right-handed handwriting is educated and well done.”

Experts compared the two handwriting samples (样本) and said they were both made by Leonardo. They show he could write well using his left hand or his right hand.

The drawing is known as Landscape 8P from its number in an art list. It will be part of an exhibit at Italy’s Uffizi Gallery. The museum director, Eike Schmidt, said by studying the drawing researchers gave us a new way of looking at Leonardo’s drawing techniques and his abilities in writing.

1. Which of the following mentioned in the text has been studied by researchers recently?

A．The Mona Lisa.	B．The Last Supper.
C．Landscape 8P.	D．Mirror-writing.

2. What does the writing on the back probably tell about?

A．A statement about the painting.	B．An introduction about Leonardo.
C．Something about the city of Florence.	D．An agreement to produce a painting.

3. What can we learn about Leonardo from Cecilia’s words?

A．He could write with either of his hands.

B．He did bad in right-handed handwriting.

C．He wasn’t good at writing with his right hand.

D．He taught himself to write with right hand.

4. What’s Eike Schmidt’s attitude towards the research?

A．Unclear.

B．Positive.

C．Doubtful.

D．Cold.

【推荐3】When music comes on, some people are toe-lappers or head-bobbers, others shake their hips，and then there are those who let the rhythm move them to a full-body boogie (布吉舞) . But, whatever it is, the way we dance to a beat is so noticeable to an individual that a computer can now identify us by our unique dancing “fingerprint”.

Researchers at the Centre for Interdisciplinary Music Research at Finland's University of Jyv skyl have been using motion capture (动作捕捉) technology to study what a person's dance moves say about his or her mood, personality, and ability to sympathize. They recently made an accidental discovery while trying to see if an ML machine, a form of artificial intelligence, would be able to identify which kind of music was playing based on how the participants of the study were dancing. In their study, the researchers motion captured 73 participants with the AI technology while they danced to eight different music genres: electronica, jazz, metal, pop, rap, reggae, country, and blues. The only instruction the dancers were given was to move in a way that felt natural.

But what it could do was more shocking. The computer was able to correctly identify which music one of the participants was dancing to 94 percent of the time, regardless of what kind of music was playing, based on the pattern of a person's dance style. It was the movement of participants’ heads, shoulders and knees that were important markers in distinguishing between individual. “It seems as though a person’s dance movements a kind of fingerprint. Each person has a unique movement signature that stays the same no matter what kind of music is playing,” said Pasi Saari, a co-author of the study, in a class.

It’s possible that dance-recognition software could become something similar to face-recognition software but it doesn’t seem as practical. For now, researchers say that they are not as interested in possible surveillance (监视) uses of this technology, but rather what the results of this study say about how humans respond to music. So don’t worry about being identified at nightclub by an AI via your signature dance moves yet.

1. What did the researchers expect to do with the ML machine?

A．Test the dancers’ flexibility.	B．Make dancers accustomed to the beat.
C．Identify the music using dancers' moves.	D．Check the accuracy of motion capture technology.

2. What might not help the AI technology determine a dancer’s identity?

A．Head movement.

B．Foot movement.

C．Knee movement.

D．Shoulder movement.

3. What do researchers want to use the results for?

A．Putting it on the application market.	B．Programming it to work at nightclub.
C．Learning about the human response to music.	D．Developing a software like face-recognition.

4. What can be the best title of the text?

A．A music style matters less than its beat.

B．New AI can generate your next dance move.

C．A dance-recognition software will become more popular.

D．New AI can identify you by your dancing “fingerprint”.