The robot watched as Shikhar Bahl opened there frigerator door. It recorded his movements, the swing of the door and more，analyzing this data and readying itself to imitate(模仿)what Bahl had done.It failed at first,missing the handle completely at times, grabbing it in the wrong spot or pulling it incorrectly. But after a few hours of practice, the robot succeeded and opened the door.
“Imitation is a great way to learn,”said Bahl, a Ph.D. student at the Robotics Institute (RI) in Carnegie Mellon University.“Having robots actually learn from directly watching humans remains an unsolved problem in the field,but this work takes a significant step in enabling that ability.”
Bahl worked with Deepak Pathak and Abhinav Gupta, both faculty members in the RI, to develop a new learning method for robots called WHIRL,short for In-the-Wild Human Imitating Robot Learning. WHIRL is an efficient computation program for visual imitation. People constantly perform various tasks in their homes. With WHIRL, a robot can observe those tasks, gather the video data it needs and then go about practicing and learning to accomplish the tasks on its own.
The team added a camera and their software to an off-the-shelf robot,and it learned how to do more than 20 tasks—from opening and closing appliances,cabinet doors and drawers to putting a lid on a pot,pushing in a chair and even taking a garbage bag out of the bin.
Current method for teaching a robot a task typically relies on reinforcement(强化)learning. In reinforcement learning, the robot is typically trained on millions of examples in imitation and then asked to adapt that training to the real world.
This learning model works well when teaching a robot a single task in a structured environment,but it is difficult to extend and deploy(调动).WHIRL can learn from any video of a human doing a task. It is capable of being easily expanded, not limited to one specific task and can operate in realistic home environments.
1. What does the author intend to show in paragraph 1?| A．The robot can’t learn to do things by itself. |
| B．It isn’t easy for robots to learn housework. |
| C．It is a big step for robots to enter the home. |
| D．People are patient to teach robots to do housework. |
| A．To make robots learn housework efficiently. |
| B．To replace humans in housework with robots. |
| C．To help people know about the life with robots. |
| D．To teach a robot a single task in home environment. |
| A．The process of developing WHIRL. | B．The achievements of the research. |
| C．The tasks the robot needs to complete. | D．The advantages of the new method. |
| A．By making comparisons. | B．By explaining causes and effects. |
| C．By introducing learning methods. | D．By summarizing the functions of WHIRL. |
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【推荐1】Jack Horner is co-author of the book How to Build a Dinosaur. However, he is most famous for his role as consultant(顾问) on all four Jurassic Park films, including the new film Jurassic World.
The original film Jurassic Park tells the story of a theme park where dinosaurs live. In that movie, scientists used DNA collected by ancient mosquitoes that had been trapped in amber shortly after they drank dinosaur blood. The scientists used this dinosaur DNA to create baby dinosaurs. The scientists in Jurassic Park created various types of dinosaurs, but in the real world there is one big problem with the story. It turns out that DNA could not possibly survive the 65 million years since the death of the dinosaurs.
The new movie creates the Indominus Rex. This idea of creating a hybrid species is something Horner has explored before. In 2011, he gave a speech in which he discussed producing a dinosaur by working with the genes of a bird. Modern birds are the closest living relative of dinosaurs.
The concept of using the genes of different animals to create new animals is called transgenic science. And this type of science has already produced some interesting results — goats that produce spider silk in their milk, cows that produce proteins for medicines that can treat diseases, and a pig that produces less-polluting waste thanks to a bit of mouse DNA. However, none of these examples are close to the dinosaurs in Jurassic World. And for a good reason — genetics is a very complex science. Producing a new species is not as simple as just exchanging a few genes around.
In the end, Jurassic World is all about fun.
1. What do we know from Paragraph 2?| A．A theme park is built to protect dinosaurs. |
| B．Mosquito DNA is used to create dinosaurs. |
| C．DNA can be well kept for millions of years. |
| D．Creation of dinosaurs in the film isn’t scientific. |
| A．A modern bird. | B．A goat producing silk. |
| C．A hybrid dinosaur. | D．A cow producing protein. |
| A．Jurassic World proves a big success. | B．Many extinct species will be brought back. |
| C．Hybridizing dinosaurs is no easy job. | D．Transgenic science proves a complete failure. |
| A．He has starred in Jurassic World. |
| B．He has explored a lot about dinosaurs. |
| C．He has directed four Jurassic Park films. |
| D．He has written How to Build a Dinosaur alone. |
【推荐2】Drones (无人机) equipped with hyperspectral and thermal sensors will be applied in Italy to spot trees infected with Xylella fastidiosa, a deadly bacterium that has been destroying the country’s olive crops for almost a decade.
The sensors will be able to detect signs of early infection that cannot be noticed easily, such as slight changes in the color of leaves, allowing farmers to select affected trees and prevent outbreaks. More than 300,000 trees will be examined using the new drone technology in the next few months.
“This technology has the potential to give the Italian government a major advantage in the fight against Xylella,” says Manuela, a researcher of the project. “We tend to realize far too late if a plant is infected - these drone sensors will allow us to spot and prevent outbreaks rather than just react to them.”
Early detection strategies like this are key for controlling Xylella, which is spread by spittlebugs that feed on infected plants, taking in bacteria and passing them to healthy plants nearby. Once the bacteria have infected a plant, they block the xylem vessels that transport water through the plant, cutting off its ability to absorb water and, eventually, killing it.
“Xylella is particularly dangerous because it has many different natural hosts through which it can spread.” says Andrea Maiorano, a plant health expert at the European Food Safety Authority in can spread,” says Andrea Maiorano, a plant health expert at the European Food Safety Authority in Italy. “There are hundreds of different plant species that can host it.”
According to the law, as soon as a tree is found to be infected with Xylella, it must immediately be cut down - along with all species easily affected within a 50-metre radius (半径). A 2.5-kilometre zone around the infected plant is then closely monitored to prevent spread to surrounding trees. The remote-detection drones will ensure that any infected tree in these areas is diagnosed and recognized quicker than ever before.
The hope is that this containment strategy in infected regions can buy time for the rest of the country’s olive plantations until a cure can be found.
1. What is the problem with the olive crops in Italy?| A．Bacteria infection. | B．Lack of water. |
| C．Soil pollution. | D．Backward technology. |
| A．By curing the affected trees. | B．By changing the color of leaves. |
| C．By monitoring the quality of trees. | D．By discovering the unnoticed infection. |
| A．The danger of Xylella. | B．The key of the strategies. |
| C．The cause of the bacteria. | D．The feature of the drones. |
| A．They will prevent trees from being infected. |
| B．They will ensure the recognition of the plants. |
| C．They can speed up the diagnosis of diseased trees. |
| D．They might help increase country’s olive plantations. |
【推荐3】A new technology project in southern Greece is helping visitors experience the ancient birthplace of the Olympic Games. The project used augmented reality (增强现实), or AR, to recreate temples and competition areas in the ancient city of Olympia. The project lasted for about 18 months with a series of imaging flights to help map areas across Olympia. It was recently launched in the city, one of the world’s major archaeological (考古的) sites. Augmented reality is a technology that can project computer-created images onto special eyeglasses. Through the eyeglasses, the images appear along with other physical objects in the environment.
The project is a partnership between American software maker Microsoft and Greece’s Ministry of Culture and Sport. The ministry helped Microsoft map and build virtual representations of Olympia. The city was used for nearly a thousand years to host the games in ancient Greece that served as the model for the modern Olympics. “It’s a milestone. That helped us bring technology and culture and history together so we can preserve it,” Microsoft President Brad Smith said. The experience provides users with the chance to virtually walk through the ruins of Olympia. At the Olympic Museum in Athens, people can also use Microsoft’s AR headsets for a similar experience.
Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis joined a group of schoolchildren who were using the app for the first time. “I’m absolutely excited that we’re able to present to the world a completely new cultural experience using technology to recreate the ancient world of Olympia,” Mitsotakis told The Associated Press. Students from a local middle school looked at statues and buildings that were brought to life on their phones. They were able to virtually visit inside and outside settings to explore where ancient Olympians had competed in different sports. One of the children, Panagiotis Christopoulos, called the project “impressive”. “I think it can help with teaching in schools.” the student said.
1. What’s the function of the special eyeglasses?| A．Producing impressive images. |
| B．Changing colors of some objects. |
| C．Making the environment look clearer. |
| D．Combining the virtual world with the real one. |
| A．By raising money for it. |
| B．By promoting and advertising it. |
| C．By offering virtual representations of Olympia. |
| D．By hosting different kinds of games in Olympia. |
| A．Doubtful. | B．Favorable. | C．Unconcerned. | D．Cautious. |
| A．Digital project brings Olympics birthplace to life |
| B．A technology project is helping build modern Olympia |
| C．The development and application of AR in Greece |
| D．A good combination of modern and ancient cultures |
【推荐1】It is well known that the American Southwest, naturally hot and dry, is seriously short of water. A new study that reveals climate change is going to dry out the region even further is painting a serious picture of the future.
According to the study, global warming could increase the long-term water shortfall to the 1, 815 billion cubic metres by adding another 439 million cubic metres of water. Based on the price of adding reservoir (水库) capacities in California, meeting basic water shortages could cost $ 549 billion if climate change is factored in. Higher water prices would make the adaptation even more expensive if no water could be found at all in the drier future.
But even beyond the mere cost of creating more reservoirs, there’s no denying the fact that a hotter, drier Southwest will demand more and more energy for cooling. There’s another fact that climate change will make cities in states like Nevada and New Mexico far less sustainable than they already are. There’s also the fact that a warmer climate will have a long-lasting impact on the region’s ecosystem. Previous study has noted that climate change may convert the American Southwest into a permanent desert.
It’s certainly possible that it will be too expensive to build reservoirs for some suburbs and communities and we could see an exodus (大批人同时离开) from the region; but that’s almost suitable to change, because communities pay for the extremely inefficient processes of pumping in water from out of the states.
1. What is the passage mainly about?| A．Climate Change Will Make Water Shortage Worser |
| B．American Southwest Is Short of Water |
| C．California Council Pays Attention to Water Shortages |
| D．Water Shortages Lead Experts to Predict Water Shortfall |
| A．Indifferent | B．Critical. | C．Sympathetic. | D．Worried. |
| A．The situations of Nevada and New Mexico are not bad yet. |
| B．People should cool the climate immediately. |
| C．There’s a relationship between climate change and ecosystem. |
| D．The energy requirements needed for cooling will not make water shortage worse. |
| A．The high price of building reservoirs is making the situation worse. |
| B．Global warming could increase the long-term water shortfall to 1,815 billion cubic metres. |
| C．Population growth is the main reason for water shortages. |
| D．The American Southwest may become a desert one day. |
【推荐2】For more than six million American children, coming home after school means coming home to an empty house. Some deal with the situation by watching TV. Some may hide. But all of them have something in common. They spend part of each day alone. They’re called latchkey children. They’re children who look after themselves while their parents work and their bad condition has become a subject of concern.
Lynette Long was once the principal of an elementary school. Said, “We had a school rule against wearing jewelry. A lot of the kids had chains around their necks with keys attached. I was often telling them to put them inside their shirts. There were so many keys that it never came to my mind what they meant.” Slowly, she learned they were house keys.
She and her husband began talking to the children who had them. They learned of the effect working couples and single parents had on their children. Fear is the biggest problem faced by children at home alone. One in each three latchkey children the Longs talked to reported being scared. Many had nightmares and were worried about their own safety.
The most common way latchkey children deal with their fears is by hiding. It might be in a shower stall, under a bed, in a closet. The second is TV. They’ll often play it high volume.
It’s hard to get statistics on latchkey children, the Longs learned. Most parents are slow to admit they leave their children alone.
1. The main idea about “latchkey” children is that they ______.| A．are growing in numbers | B．are also found in middle-class neighborhoods |
| C．watch too much TV during the day | D．suffer problems from being left alone |
| A．We had a school rule against wearing jewelry. |
| B．A lot of kids had chains around their necks. |
| C．I was often telling them to put them inside their shirts. |
| D．She learned they were house keys. |
| A．tiredness | B．freedom | C．loneliness | D．fear |
| A．night suit | B．night habit |
| C．terrible dream at night | D．staying up at night |
| A．latchkey children enjoy having such a large amount of time alone |
| B．latchkey children try to hide their feeling |
| C．latchkey children often watch TV with their parents |
| D．it’s difficult to find out how many latchkey children there are |
Sleep walking can be an indication that certain parts of the brain may not be relaxing properly at bedtime. It can be caused by illness or fever, tiredness, stress or anxiety. It is thought to occur in the beginning, slow-wave stages of non-rapid eye movement sleep before dream sleep. It may be related to the lack of magnesium(镁), and it is very possible that hormonal (荷尔蒙) changes in body could cause it. Certainly a child is more likely to be a sleepwalker if one of his parents suffered, too.
Sleepwalking itself is not dangerous and is generally not a sign of any more worrying problems. But if your child sleepwalkers regularly, you have to take safety measures to make sure that he doesn’t hurt himself while sleepwalking. Make sure that any doors can’t be opened by a child, and lock doors to the cellar (地下室), kitchen and other dangerous places. Check each night before lights go out for sharp objects or, indeed, anything on the floor which your child could trip over or hurt himself on.
A child may sleepwalk once and never sleepwalk again. Others may sleepwalk once a month or so. Still others may sleepwalk almost nightly. If you are worried you should consult your doctor.
1. During sleepwalking, a sleepwalker is likely to do all the following but_________.
| A．climb out of a window | B．go down a flight of stairs |
| C．wander in the yard | D．close his eyes |
| A．The concept of sleepwalking |
| B．The causes of sleepwalking |
| C．Some ways to help sleepwalking |
| D．The behaviors during sleepwalking. |
| A．Sleepwalking itself is not dangerous. |
| B．Children who sleepwalk may answer when you talk to them. |
| C．If your child sleepwalks regularly, you can just leave him alone. |
| D．Sleepwalking is related to the lack of sleep. |
| A．Sleepwalking may be passed down in a family. |
| B．Drugs that could cure sleepwalking have been developed. |
| C．During a normal sleep, a person never opens his eyes. |
| D．Most doctors consider sleepwalking as a serious problem. |
