【推荐1】Earthquake rescue robots have experienced their final tests in Beijing. Their designers say with these robots, rescuers will be able to buy more time to save lives during an earthquake.

This robot, looking like a helicopter, is called the detector (探测器) bot. At about 4 metres long, it took about 4 years to develop the model. Its main functions are to collect information from the air, and deliver goods of up to 30 kilos to people trapped by an earthquake.

This robot is equipped with a high 360­degree panoramic (全景的) camera. It can work day and night and also be able to send the latest pictures from the quake area.

Dr Qi Juntong, from Chinese Academy of Sciences, said, "The most important feature of this robot is that it doesn't need distant control. We just set the information on it, and then it takes off, and lands by itself. It flies as high as 3,000 metres, and as fast as 100 kilometres per hour."

This robot has a different function — it can change as the environment changes. Its main job is to search for any signs of life in places where human rescuers can't go.

The robot is equipped with a camera that can work in the dark, as well as a detector that not only finds people, but can also detect poisonous gas.

Another use for the rescuers is the supply bot, with its 10­metre­long pipe. People trapped in the ruins will be able to get supplies including oxygen and liquids.

Experts have said that the robots will be produced, and serve as part of the national earthquake rescue team as soon as next year.

1. We can learn from the passage that the earthquake rescue robot ________.

A．is unable to deliver goods	B．is designed to predict the earthquake
C．can send pictures even at night	D．can be used to clear away poisonous gas

2. According to Dr Qi Juntong, the earthquake rescue robot ________.

A．has a unique shape

B．has more functions

C．is equipped with more advanced cameras

D．can work by itself once given the information

3. The robot can find people in an earthquake with the help of ________.

A．a remote control	B．a detector
C．a long pipe	D．a helicopter

4. What is the passage mainly about?

A．Some information about earthquakes.

B．How to build earthquake rescue robots.

C．An introduction to a kind of earthquake rescue robots.

D．Different earthquake rescue robots in the world.

【推荐2】If someone created a flying machine capable of tracking you down by listening for your voice, you might be terrified. But what if you were trapped in ruins after a natural disaster and first responders couldn’t locate you? Maybe then a human-seeking drone wouldn’t be such a terrible idea. That concept is the focus for engineers at Germany’s Fraunhofer FKIE Institute, who’ve built a drone to find people by discovering human screams.

“The human-seeking drone would be ideal for post-disaster situations, such as earthquakes, hurricanes and wildfires,” said Macarena Varela, one of the lead engineers. “They could hover over an area that rescuers have difficulty getting to and locate exactly where people may be trapped.”

Locating people by sound presents its share of challenges. An auditory（听觉的）system would need to tell human cries from sounds that often happen in nature, such as animal calls and wind. It might also need to recognize patterns associated with kicking, clapping or other ways people try to get the attention of rescue teams.

Engineers took those situations into consideration when building out their concept drone. They recorded themselves screaming, tapping and creating other noises that might be a sign of people in trouble. Then, they analyzed each sound frequency to find common characteristics and used those to train artificial intelligence software. They also worked to remove the noise created by the drone and other environmental sounds.

Once the software part was complete, the team placed tiny digital microphones under the drone and used signal processing techniques that enabled them to track where human noises are coming from. The microphones also enhanced(改善）the volume and clarity of the speech. So far, they have conducted successful open field experiments, finding that the drone can estimate(估计) a victim’s location within a few seconds of picking up sound.

Next, they would like to add a higher frequency microphone to a drone to get more audio sound signals. “The idea is to pick up noises from hundreds of meters away,” Varela said. In the real world, victim’s location data might one day be sent wirelessly to emergency workers carrying a tablet PC.

1. What is the advantage of the human-seeking drone over rescuers?

A．Its easy access to disaster scene.

B．Its long working hours.

C．Its high speed of flying.

D．Its quick estimation of data.

2. What can the auditory system do?

A．Send victim’s location data to a tablet PC.

B．Pick up sounds from far away.

C．Recognize human cries.

D．Improve the quality of human screams.

3. Why did engineers analyze each sound frequency?

A．To remove the noise.

B．To find shared features.

C．To record the screams.

D．To enhance the volume.

4. What is the main idea of the text?

A．Flying machines can track rescuers.

B．Rescuers use drones to locate disaster survivors.

C．Human-seeking drones will replace rescuers.

D．Engineers ensure drones to give better rescue performance.

【推荐1】When asked to point out one or two things that are the most important to themselves, many put friends ahead of homes, jobs, clothes and cars.

A true friendship carries a long history of experience that determines who we are and keeps us connected. It is a treasure we should protect. Unfortunately, the better friends you are, the more probably you'll have disagreements. And the result can be what you don’t want, an end to the relationship.

The good news is that most troubled friendships can be mended. First, don't let your pride get in your way. Most of us can forgive each other when differences are brought out in the open. Second, apologize when you’re wrong — even if you've been wronged. Over the course of a friendship, even the best people make mistakes. Sometimes, it may be best if the wronged person takes the lead and apologizes. When you apologize, give your friend a chance to admit that he has been wrong. Third, see things from your friend's point of view. And finally, accept that friendships change as our needs and lifestyles change. Making friends can sometimes seem easy. The hard part is keeping the connections strong during the natural ups and downs that have an effect on all relationships. My suggestion: consider the friendship an honor and a gift, and worth the effort to treasure and nurture (培养).

1. What would be the best title for the text?

A．Easy Ways to Make Friends	B．Ups and Downs is Friendship
C．How to Mend a Troubled Friendship	D．How to Take the Lead in Making Friends

2. “Wronged person” underlined in the text refers to a person ________.

A．who has been mistaken for another

B．who has been blamed unfairly

C．who has treated friends badly

D．who has admitted his mistakes

3. What should we do if we follow the author's second suggestion?

A．Stick to our own point of view.

B．Avoid making mistakes.

C．Make an apology first.

D．Change our lifestyles.

【推荐2】Modern day robots may not be as entertaining as R2D2 or the robot from Lost in Space, but robots are very important to space exploration and are being used in a variety of different ways for several important reasons.

Robots make great explorers on planets, moons, and other landing areas.Aside from the earth, just about every surface in the solar system is unsafe for humans to explore. The air on most other planets is insufficient for humans to breathe, making it necessary to wear a space suit and oxygen equipment. The temperatures on these surfaces are much too hot or much too cold for any humans to withstand. Plus there would be complications with radiation, weather, and a lack of gravity. Robots have much less limitation in these areas and can survive much longer under these conditions.

Robots are designed for collecting scientific data. Robots are also able to perform many tasks at one time and can process information much quicker and more efficiently. Important scientific projects from detecting minerals, analyzing ground samples, to finding water are all performed much quicker and accurately by robots.

The use of robots has made the cost of space exploration much less expensive than it would cost for humans to do the work. In order to successfully send humans into space we would need to build a vehicle that can not only carry humans, but also enough food and water to keep them alive for the duration of the trip. Moreover, robots have no problems working for hours on end.Robots never complain, they don’t require food or water, and they never need a bathroom break.

Over the past 30 years or so there have been many different types of robots used successfully in the exploration of space. Perhaps the most famous and successful robots are Spirit and Opportunity who have both been exploring the surface of Mars. They have both been very successful with experiments on soil and rocks and have even found evidence of water in Mars’ history.

1. Which of the following would be the best title for the passage?

A．The Development of Robots

B．The Discovery of Space Exploration

C．No Robots, No Space Exploration

D．Robots Are Used in Space Exploration

2. The underlined word “withstand” in Paragraph 2 most probably means “        ”．

A．remain	B．bear
C．defeat	D．develop

3. According to the passage, which of the following is NOT true?

A．The use of robots in space exploration costs more than the use of humans.

B．It is dangerous for humans to explore other surfaces in the solar system except the earth.

C．Both Spirit and Opportunity have found the evidence of water on Mars.

D．Many different types of robots have explored the space successfully.

4. What is the writer’s attitude in this passage?

A．Negative.	B．Persuasive.
C．Subjective.	D．Objective.

【推荐3】Back in 2003 an 86-year-old man drove his Buick through a crowded farmers’ market. Nine people were killed. More than fifty-four people were hurt, fourteen with serious injuries. When he finally stopped, the 86-year-old man got out his car and screamed at people to get out of the way. No alcohol or drugs were found in his system. Apparently, he was just old and confused.
This is a frightening accident, and it is not a rare one. There are many examples of elderly drivers driving into swimming pools, houses, storefronts, or worse.
In our teenage years, we all heard “driving is not a right; it’s a privilege.” That is still true, and there comes an age when driving is no longer aprivilege that can be allowed. After a certain age, eyesight anddementia(痴呆) are very serious concerns. Undoubtedly,these age-related problems affect some older adults’ driving ability. By the time a person is between eighty-five and ninety years old, his or her driving privilege should be examined.
Licensing laws vary greatly from state to state, and it’s time for a national law on the maximum age limit for driving. The motivation for this law is safety. Another option is to start with laws that ban anyone over the age of eighty-five from driving after sundown, because driving conditions are not as safe as daylight hours. Still another option that may allow elderly drivers to continue driving could be new technology like a voice warning system that cautions drivers on busy streets or at traffic lights. Finally, since there are laws against driving under the influence of alcohol and drugs, shouldn’t some prescription drugs also be included? The average age of 85-year-old is undoubtedly taking at least one prescription drug daily.
The thought of an 86-year-old driver with failing eyesight running down the road in a two-ton piece of metal is unsettling to us all. Driving at an advanced age is not only challenging for the elderly drivers, but also it’s dangerous for the rest of us.
1. The first paragraph is written in order to show_________.

A．the harm of driving at an old age

B．the importance of traffic safety

C．traffic accidents are on the rise

D．many elderly drivers are careless

2. The author suggests that there should be new laws against driving __________.

A．over eighty-five

B．between sunset and dawn

C．with the help of voice warning systems

D．under the influence of prescription drugs

3. The underlined word “unsettling” in the last paragraph is closest in meaning to “________”.

A．disappointing	B．worrying
C．touching	D．interesting

4. Which of the following would be the best title for the text?

A．How to keep old people safe on the road?

B．Are drivers well protected by licensing laws?

C．Should there be an age limit for elderly drivers?

D．Is driving a right or a privilege for an old person?