【推荐2】Hadi Partovi，founder of Code.org believes every student should learn the basics of computer science just like they do math，physics，or biology，regardless of what they want to do in the future.The expert says knowledge about the subject is important to understand how the world around us works and compares it to learning about photosynthesis(光合作用)，even though not every student is going to be a botanist.To spark students’interest，he created the“Hour of Code，”which introduces the world of computing to anyone，from ages 14 to 104，in a fun，interactive manner.Observed annually during Computer Science Week，the event now draws tens of millions of kids from over 180 countries.

The“Hour of Code”，which can be scheduled anytime during Computer Science Week，begins with an introductory video on computer science.Participants can then select from hundreds of fun assignments that are sorted by both grade level and coding experience.Though each project is designed to last just sixty minutes，beginners can deal with as many challenges as they desire.

To help introduce computer science in classrooms on a more regular basis，Code.org has also developed a catalog of online courses that can be incorporated(纳入)in a school’s regular curriculum.Since the nonprofit began offering the courses in 2013，over 704，000 teachers have signed up to teach introductory computer science to over 22 million students worldwide.

Thanks to the efforts of the pioneer，about 40 percent of US schools now offer computer science as a subject.The numbers are even higher—an impressive 70 percent—if after-school offerings such as robotics clubs are included.Even more encouraging，eight years ago，just 19，390 students took an Advanced Placement Computer Science exam.By the spring of 2017，the number had jumped 415 percent to 99，868.

1. Why did Hardi Partovi create the“Hour of Code”?

A．To train computer scientists for the future.

B．To introduce the world of computing to teachers.

C．To add a programme to Computer Science Week.

D．To help people learn computer science in a fun way.

2. The“Hour of Code”is so called most probably because___________.

A．it is observed annually

B．it can be scheduled anytime

C．its projects last sixty minutes each

D．its tasks can be sorted by coding experience

3. What do we know about Code.org’s online courses?

A．Schools can use them regularly in their classrooms.

B．They help the developer make lots of money.

C．Over 704，000 teachers have been learning them.

D．They have existed for over 10 years up to now.

4. What do the numbers show in the last paragraph?

A．The efforts of Hadi Partovi.

B．The influence of robotics clubs.

C．The effect of Hadi Partovi’s efforts.

D．The development of many US schools.

【推荐3】Can clothes make phone calls, play music, dial your friend’s number, keep you warm during cold weather, or operate your computer?

This is not fantasy (幻想). A British company, called Electrotextiles, has created a kind of clothes that have a mind of their own! Scientists have invented a cloth that can be mixed with electronic materials to create intelligent clothing. The result is electronic clothes.

These clothes are wire-free, soft to touch and washable! Like any electronic equipment, these high-tech clothes have to be powered. A small nine-volt(伏特) battery serves the purpose. But the researchers hope that in the near future, the clothes will produce electricity by using body heat.

The Electrotextiles team has also invented the world’s first cloth keyboard. This keyboard can be sewn into your trousers or skirt. To use this equipment, you needn’t buy a computer. All you will do is tap on your lap! The equipment may replace computers in the future!

Another useful cloth is the shirt mobile phone. This invention makes drivers chat comfortably - with both hands on the wheel! Other popular electronic wears include the ordinary jacket and the electronic ski-jacket with a built-in heater. The ski-jacket is also programmed to send signals to a satellite. This technology is known as global positioning(全球定位) and can be used to look for lost skiers.

Having completed the cloth keyboard, scientists have already started to work on a new project - a necktie that can be used as a computer’s mouse.

1. Why does the author ask the question in paragraph 1?

A．To tell us technology is developing fast.	B．To make us have a dream for the future.
C．To make us believe in the author’s idea.	D．To get the readers interested in the topic.

2. What do we know about the high-tech clothes according to the text?

A．They feel hard.	B．They need wires.
C．They can be washed.	D．They don’t need electricity.

3. What can the electronic ski-jacket be used to do in the future?

A．Produce electricity.	B．Replace the computer’s keyboard.
C．Help skiers find their way.	D．Work as a computer’s mouse.

4. What is the main idea of the text?

A．The development of electronic clothes.	B．The function of clothes in the future.
C．The best way to produce electricity.	D．Great fun to enjoy chatting when driving.

【推荐1】As Artificial Intelligence（AI） becomes increasingly sophisticated, there are growing concerns that robots could become a threat. This danger can be avoided, according to computer science professor Stuart Russell, if we figure out how to turn human values into a programmable code.
Russell argues that as robots take on more complicated tasks, it’s necessary to translate our morals into AI language.
For example, if a robot does chores around the house, you wouldn’t want it to put the pet cat in the oven to make dinner for the hungry children. “You would want that robot preloaded with a good set of values,” said Russell.
Some robots are already programmed with basic human values. For example, mobile robots have been programmed to keep a comfortable distance from humans. Obviously there are cultural differences, but if you were talking to another person and they came up close in your personal space, you wouldn’t think that’s the kind of thing a properly brought-up person would do.
It will be possible to create more sophisticated moral machines, if only we can find a way to set out human values as clear rules.
Robots could also learn values from drawing patterns from large sets of data on human behavior. They are dangerous only if programmers are careless.
The biggest concern with robots going against human values is that human beings fail to so sufficient testing and they’ve produced a system that will break some kind of taboo（禁忌）.
One simple check would be to program a robot to check the correct course of action with a human when presented with an unusual situation.
If the robot is unsure whether an animal is suitable for the microwave, it has the opportunity to stop, send out beeps(嘟嘟声), and ask for directions from a human. If we humans aren’t quite sure about a decision, we go and ask somebody else.
The most difficult step in programming values will be deciding exactly what we believe in moral, and how to create a set of ethical rules. But if we come up with an answer, robots could be good for humanity.
1. What does the author say about the threat of robots?

A．It may constitute a challenge to computer progranmers.

B．It accompanies all machinery involving high technology.

C．It can be avoided if human values are translated into their language.

D．It has become an inevitable peril as technology gets more sophisticated.

2. What would we think of a person who invades our personal space according to the author?

A．They are aggressive.	B．They are outgoing.
C．They are ignorant.	D．They are ill-bred.

3. How do robots learn human values?

A．By interacting with humans in everyday life situations.

B．By following the daily routines of civilized human beings.

C．By picking up patterns from massive data on human behavior.

D．By imitating the behavior of property brought-up human beings.

4. What will a well-programmed robot do when facing an unusual situation?

A．keep a distance from possible dangers.

B．Stop to seek advice from a human being.

C．Trigger its built-in alarm system at once.

D．Do sufficient testing before taking action.

5. What is most difficult to do when we turn human values into a programmable code?

A．Determine what is moral and ethical.

B．Design some large-scale experiments.

C．Set rules for man-machine interaction.

D．Develop a more sophisticated program.

【推荐3】American Airlines announced an agreement in mid-August to buy 20 supersonic Overture planes from Boom Supersonic, a US-based start-up company focused on the production of supersonic commercial aircraft.

The Overture is planned to transport between 65 and 80 passengers at speeds of over 1.7 times that of the speed of sound (235 km/h) — twice that of the fastest traditional commercial airplane on the market today.

The idea of riding aboard a plane at supersonic speeds might seem like a scary one; but, in fact, it might even be smoother than flying on a traditional airplane.

Most commercial airliners fly between 11.5 and 12 kilometers high in the sky, but the Overture will fly at about 18.29 kilometers by comparison. The higher a plane flies, the thinner the air is, resulting in less turbulence (颠簸).

As Lourdes Maurice, a mechanical engineer and advisor to Boom Supersonic, remarked about her supersonic flight on the Concorde, the Overture’s predecessor: “Climbing to 60,000 feet (about 18.29 km) was incredibly smooth. There was no turbulence. We knew we were flying supersonically, but our bodies didn’t give us any signs.”

Since the first supersonic flight by the US Air Force in October 1947 and the first commercial supersonic flight in 1976, the promise of supersonic flight has been an alluring goal; yet, the path forward has seen many obstacles. The biggest problem is that massive, powerful sound waves called “sonic booms” are created when an object breaks the sound barrier.

Similar to thunder, these sonic booms are difficult to ignore when flying over residential areas. Besides noise pollution, the use of supersonic aircraft has also been criticized for is huge fuel consumption and greenhouse gas emissions, resulting in bans on supersonic commercial flights in many countries.

Since the last commercial supersonic flight of the Concorde in 2003, the dream of supersonic travel appeared dead. However, with improvements being made to supersonic plane designs and fuel efficiency, the dream could come back to life once more.

1. What do we know about the Overture?

A．It will fly as high as 1829 feet.

B．It will travel much faster than sound.

C．It will carry out the first supersonic flight.

D．It will fly at twice the speed of traditional planes.

2. Which is the main factor that determines a plane’s stability?

A．Its flight altitude.	B．Its top flight speed.
C．Its carrying capacity.	D．Its ability to reduce turbulence.

3. What does the underlined word “alluring” mean in paragraph 6?

A．Scientific

B．Inviting.

C．Demanding.

D．Essential.

4. Which of the following needs improving most about supersonic fight?

A．Huge fuel consumption.	B．High development costs.
C．Excessive noise generation.	D．High greenhouse gas emissions.

【推荐1】Languages are windows to different cultures, allowing us to connect with others from around the world. But learning a new language not just has a simple conversation or has access to different words, concepts.

A study by Dr. Thomas Bak who is a lecturer at Edinburgh’s School of Philosophy, Psychology and Language Sciences showed that bilingual (双语的) young learners performed better on attention tests and had better concentration than those who spoke only one language. Dr. Bak tested 853 participants in 1947, when they were all 11 years old, and retested them when they were in their early 70s. He found that bilingual learners performed better than expected. The strongest effects were seen in general intelligence and reading. The results showed that learning a new language in adulthood still has positive results.

There is another study visualize the benefits of learning a new language on the brain. The researchers conducted the study on two groups of scholars; One that studied languages and another that studied non-linguistic subjects. The MRI scans showed that the brains of the participants studying languages increased in size, while the brain sizes of the other group remained the same. The studies suggest the bilingualism improves the brain’s executive (可执行的) function. Learning another language is one of the most effective and practical ways to increase intelligence, keep your mind sharp, and buffer (减缓) your brain against aging.

“As a language learner, you’ll not only become a more conscious thinker and listener who can communicate clearly and think creatively, but you’ll also gain the most significant benefit of multilingualism: A broader, more global perspective,” writes Dan Roitman of Pimsleur in the Huffington Post.

1. How does Dr. Thomas Bak explain her finding in paragraph 2?

A．By using an expert’s words	B．By making comparison.
C．By referring to another study.	D．By introducing a concept.

2. What can we learn about from the researches?

A．Dr. Thomas Bak had the participants retested after seventy years later.

B．Those who are good at reading also do well in learning a new language.

C．The language learners’ brain size is larger than the non-verbal (非语言的) learner.

D．Language learning can make the brain energetic and slow down its aging.

3. What does Dan Roitman think of learning languages?

A．Learning language is useful to person’s development.

B．Travelling around the world is necessary for language learning.

C．Language learners are merely good at thinking and listening.

D．Language learners are more active than non-verbal learner.

4. Which of the following is the main idea of the text?

A．Stopping learning languages can get a creative brain

B．Language learning leads to a broader perspective

C．The benefits of learning a new language.

D．The relationship between language learner and brain

【推荐2】They asked Katherine Johnson for the moon, and she gave it to them. With little more than a pencil, a ruler and one of the finest mathematical minds in the country, Mrs. Johnson, who died at 101 on Monday, calculated (计算) the track that would let Apollo 11 land on the moon in 1969 and, after Neil Armstrong's history—making moonwalk, let it return to Earth.

Yet throughout Mrs. Johnson's 33 years in NASA and for decades afterwards, almost no one knew her name.

Mrs. Johnson was one of several hundred strictly educated, extremely capable yet largely unrecognized women who, well before the modern feminist (女权) movement, worked as NASA mathematicians. But it was not only her sex that kept her long unsung. For some years at mid-century, the black women were forced to a double segregation (隔离). They were kept separate from the much large group of white women who in turn were segregated from the mathematicians and engineers.

Mrs. Johnson broke barriers at NASA. In old age, Mrs. Johnson became the most celebrated of black women who served as mathematicians for the space agency. Their story was told in the 2016 Hollywood film “Hidden Figures,” which was nominated (提名) for three Oscars, including Best Picture.

In 2017, NASA devoted a building in her honor. That year, The Washington Post described her as “the most celebrated of the computers” — “computers” being the term originally used to describe Mrs. Johnson and her colleagues, much as “typewriters” were used in the 19th century to represent professional typists.

She “helped our nation enlarge the frontiers of space,” NASA's administrator, Jim Bridenstine, said in a statement on Monday, “even as she made huge steps that also opened doors for women and people of color in the universal human effort to explore space.”

As Mrs. Johnson herself was fond of saying, her term at Langley — from 1953 until her retirement in 1986 — was “a time when computers wore skirts."

1. What is the first paragraph mainly about?

A．Neil Armstrong’s moonwalk.

B．Katherine Johnson’s contributions

C．The Apollo 11 mission to the moon.

D．Breakthroughs in moon exploration.

2. Why were Mrs. Johnson described as “computers”?

A．She helped invent the computer.

B．She was NASA's human calculator.

C．She calculated the track with computers.

D．She was quite capable of using computers.

3. What can we learn from Mrs. Johnson’s experience?

A．Change the world for the better.

B．Use knowledge to wipe out ignorance.

C．Don’t judge a person by his appearance.

D．Never be limited by the labels given by others.