Scientists have already applied robots like Roomba to work in the agriculture (农业). A Roomba works because it has wheels that function well on flat ground. However, fields are full of rough and rocky environments, which means it is difficult for robots to work in the fields. Luckily, scientists thought of centipedes (蜈蚣). With tens to hundreds of legs, they can move on any places without stopping. If they stop moving their body parts and feet, they basically stop moving instantly.
A team led by Chong developed a theory that proposes that adding leg pairs to the robot increases its ability to move firmly over challenging environments.
To test this, Juntao conducted a series of experiments where he and Daniel Soto built models to simulate (模拟) different natural environments. He then tested the robot by increasing its number of legs by two each time, starting with six and finally increasing to 16. As the leg count increased, the robot could more easily move across the surfaces, even without sensors. Finally, they tested the robot outdoors on real environments, where it was able to move in a variety of environments.
The researchers are applying their discoveries to farming. Goldman has co-founded a company that wants to use these robots to weed (除草) farmland where weedkillers are ineffective. “It’s truly impressive to see the multilegged robot easily moves on both lab-based and outdoor environments,” Juntao said. “Now we are deciding the most suitable number of legs to achieve motion. In the future, we hope to apply them for space exploration, and even search and rescue.”
1. What can we learn about Roomba?| A．It can move on any places without stopping. |
| B．It can not work well in the rough farmlands. |
| C．It was newly invented and still in its early age. |
| D．It was inspired when scientists saw centipedes |
| A．Unpractical. | B．Amusing. | C．Ineffective. | D．Promising. |
| A．It will reach consumers soon. | B．It will increase farm production. |
| C．It will be used in many other fields. | D．It will take the place of weedkillers. |
| A．Centipedes Inspire Multilegged Robots’ Invention |
| B．Scientists Get a Huge Step in Studying Centipedes |
| C．Scientists Solved Challenges in Robots’ Creation |
| D．Multilegged Robots Brought Benefits to Farming |
相似题推荐
【推荐1】A Japanese company, Next Technology, has created a robot dog that can tell you how bad your feet smell, by using a powerful sensor fixed in its nose. If you feet don’t have a bad smell. Hana-chan will happily wag its tail, if it's exposed to feet that are mildly smelly, it'll start to bark, and if they give off an extremely bad smell, it'll just fall over like the smell caused it to faint(昏倒).
Foot odor (脚臭) is a big deal in Japan, where it’s a custom for people to take off their shoes whenever they enter someone's home. In fact, exposing others to bodily odors can be considered annoyance in Japan. Some of the most brilliant minds in the country's tech industry have been trying to solve this problem. Last year, Thanko started selling axmpit (腋窝) fans designed to keep people's armpits nice and dry Now, we have Hana-chan.
The robot dog has a special sensor for a nose, and can tell you if your feet smell just by sniffing them for a few seconds. According to some media reports, Hana-chan can help solve the problem of extremely smelly feet by spraying them with air freshener, but it's unclear whether this feature comes built-in, or if you'll have to pay extra for it.
According to researchers at NextTechnology, the idea for Hana-chan was inspired by a person who desperately wanted some way to know if his feet smelled. "He told us his daughter had said his feet were smelly, " NextTechnology's Kimika Tsuji said. “But he didn't want to know how bad the odor was because he would feel hurt. That's why we developed this cute robot. "
You may be able to make Hana-chan faint with your smelly feet, but it can have the same effect on budget-conscious people. NextTechnology plans to start selling the feet-smelling robot dog for ￥100, 000 ($9, 280) next May.
1. Under what condition will Hana-chan bark?| A．When its nose is fixed with a sensor. |
| B．When it wags its tail. |
| C．When it detects mildly smelly feet. |
| D．When something is wrong with its nose. |
| A．Because Japanese have strong bodily odors. |
| B．Because Japanese are usually barefooted at others' home. |
| C．Because Japanese are especial considerate of others. |
| D．Because its tech industry is highly developed. |
| A．It has a built-in air freshener sprayer. |
| B．It's already available in the market. |
| C．Its idea comes from Kimika Tsuji. |
| D．It can recognize foot odor quickly. |
| A．Hana-chan is no cheap thing |
| B．People should mind their smelly feet. |
| C．People should be careful about their budget. |
| D．Hana-chan makes people loosen their budget. |
【推荐2】A human can't easily enter another species' social group to examine and influence what makes the animals tick. But the right robot can open up a clever way in.
Scientists have developed a robotic "fish" called SoFi in the hope of getting closer to marine life than ever before. The fish, which was developed by researchers at MIT's Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence Laboratory, can independently swim alongside real fish in the ocean. Fittingly, the robot has a fisheye lens on board that can take photos and videos of the marine it sees. Robert Katzschmann, lead author of the study, said: "We are all in an aroused state at the thought of the possibility of being able to use a system like this to get closer to marine life than humans can get on their own.”
While most underwater robots are tied to boats, SoFi has a much simpler and lightweight system that's found in smartphones. To swim, the motor causes water to flow into two balloon-like chamber in the fish's tail. As one chamber expands, it bends to one side, and then when the motors push water to the other channel, that one bends in the other direction. Together, these actions create a side—to—side motion, just like a real fish. The researchers hope that these realistic movements will help to ensure the robot is as safe in its environment as possible.
Daniela Rus, who also worked on the study, said: "The robot is able to closely observe marine life and appears not to be disturbing to real fish. "So far the robot has been tested in the Rainbow Reef in Fiji, where it swims at depths of more than 50 feet for 40 minutes.
1. Why have scientists developed the robotic fish?| A．To get close to observe marine life. | B．To prove the progress in robot technology. |
| C．To make the field of marine life interesting | D．To the intelligence of fishes in the ocean. |
| A．Crius | B．Excited | C．Nervous. | D．Worried. |
| A．Add more information to their study. | B．Convey the researohets satisfaction. |
| C．Compare different underwater robots. | D．Explain how the robotic fish works safely. |
| A．Robotic "Fish" that Can Record Marine Life in Detail |
| B．MIT`s Researchers who Have Developed Robotic Fish |
| C．Underwater robots that Influence Species in the Ocean |
| D．Rainbow Reef where the Robotic Fish Has Been Tested |
【推荐3】The fireworks that you see are most likely made in China. The country that makes90% of the world’s fireworks is also where they were invented. Most historians believe that the Chinese used firecrackers as early as the second century B. C.
Many countries hold grand fireworks show at their important celebrations. Canadians, for example, put on fireworks show every July 1 to celebrate their own national birthday, as the French do on July 14 to mark the anniversary of their revolution. But the United States of America imports most of the world’s fireworks, spending more than $650 million on them per year. The Walt Disney Co. alone buys about $50 million worth.
A mixture of gunpowder and other flammable compounds(混合物) causes fireworks to explode across the sky in all those pretty colors and fun shapes. Copper, for instance, burns bright blue while strontium(锶) creates deep red. Together, they produce purple. But the outlines fireworks form depend on the placement of these compounds inside their casing (known as the shell), as well as the shape of the shell itself.
For centuries the only way to set off fireworks was by hand, but computer controlled equipment came out in the 1980s. Automation means more precisely timed explosions, making the displays more satisfying, not to mention safer.
As you might imagine, setting off fireworks can release harmful substances into the air. For example, a chemical that has been linked to thyroid(甲状腺) problems. “Environmentally friendly” fireworks were developed at the request of the Walt Disney Co. after it received smoke complaints from neighbors of Disneyland. Nowadays, an even more eco-friendly alternative to traditional fireworks is being increasingly adopted: using small aircrafts without pilots to trace flashy patterns in the sky. With them, there’s also a much smaller risk of causing wildfires. The eco-friendly fireworks industry is expected to grow almost 20% between now and 2027.
1. Which country has the greatest demand for fireworks every year?| A．Canada. | B．China. | C．France. | D．The USA. |
| A．The shape of the shell. | B．The amount of gunpowder. |
| C．The type of added metals. | D．The placement of compounds. |
| A．It’s disappearing gradually. |
| B．It’s trying to keep up with times. |
| C．It’s becoming a major pollution source. |
| D．It’s losing popularity among the young. |
| A．A science fiction. | B．A popular magazine. |
| C．An academic paper. | D．An official document. |
【推荐1】Hudly wireless
Price :$349
Staying focused on the road while glancing at your smart-phone or sat for directions can be a distraction. That’s why Hudly has created its transparent heads-up display to keep your journey information right in your sight-line. Paired wirelessly with your smart-phone, this 6.2-inch display allows you to view the road and its vibrant directions simultaneously. Also equipped with light sensors, this heads-up display will automatically adapt its visibility to suit your environment.
Roav VIVA
Price: $130
Bring Alexa along for the ride with this plug-in speaker from Anker. Paired with your smart-phone, VIVA can make calls, stream music and provide audio navigation with simple voice commands. Plugged straight into your vehicle’s power outlet, this travel-size companion comes equipped with two USB ports so you and your passengers can charge smart devices on the go.
ZUS Smart Tire Safety Monitor
Price: $159.98
Keeping your tires at the correct pressure is of vital importance to not only staying safe on the roads, but to maintain low fuel consumption. With the ZUS smart safety monitors by Nonda, you receive real-time alerts if your tires are leaking air or in need of a refill. Taking only minutes to install, these high-tech dust caps simply screw on each tire and give you feedback on how each tire is performing, recording a detailed history of pressure changes over time.
GOFAR
Price: $149
Open a window into your vehicle’s health with GOFAR. By simply plugging the GUFAR adapter into your car’s computer, receive real-time information about any mechanical problems or performance information sent straight to your smart-phone. In the same way a Formula I driver monitors their fuel efficiency on the track, the GOFAR Ray keeps you up to date on how you consume fuel with the simple dashboard light array. If you’re hitting the gas too hard, the GOFAR Ray will illuminate red to let you know you're wasting fuel and green when you’re driving optimally.
Automatic connected car assistant
Price: from $99.99
If you want to get to know your car inside out, then the Automatic connected car assistant is the perfect addition to your vehicle. By simply plugging the compact diagnostic device into the vehicle, a whole host of information about your car is available at your fingertips. Using the Automatic app, this driving assistant can give detailed diagnostics about maintenance issues and performance alongside crash alerts, your vehicle's real-time location and roadside assistance.
Jabra Freeway
Price: $99.99
If your car isn’t Bluetooth connected, then Jabra Freeway is a great gadget to listen to high-quality sound and answer and make calls at the touch of a button or through voice activation. With three built-in speakers, Freeway offers impressive surround sound. However, if you prefer your vehicle’s speakers, the built-in FM transmitter will connect your smart-phone straight to the car’s internal sound system. Equipped with a motion sensor, Freeway will always sense when you get into the car and automatically connect to your smart-phone.
1. Mary, a green-hand driver, wants to know the overall health of her second-hand car and to ensure road safety and timely help if anything happens. What’s the best product for her?| A．GOFAR. | B．Hudly wireless. |
| C．Zus Smart Tire Safety Monitor. | D．Automatic connected car assistant. |
| A．Both are equipped with motion sensors and USB ports. |
| B．Both can be smart-phone connected and voice controlled. |
| C．Both can make calls, stream music and provide navigation. |
| D．Both can be operated with voice activation and button touch. |
a. Hudly wireless
b. Roav VIVA
c. GOFAR
d. Jabra Freeway
e. Zus Smart Tire Safety Monitor
f. Automated connected car assistant
| A．ce | B．bc | C．de | D．ef |
【推荐2】Parker Stewart, a 16-yearold student from Sayre School in America, decided last year that he wanted to study the environment by himself to have a broad influence on the community.
In order to reduce the carbon footprint, Stewart planned to produce enough solar energy to power the school’s science labs. Now his plan is set to happen. To fix 30 solar panels (太阳能电池板) is scheduled for late November.
As he began his research on solar energy, he discovered a useful mobile app. By entering an address, he could find out how much sunlight the location receives each day. Based on how much sunlight it receives, he found that his school building was the best location. At the suggestion of his science teacher, Debbie Wheeler, he first performed an energy calculation (计算) of the science lab to see how much energy a typical lab uses per day. Then, he started his research, contacting a local company of solar panels, Synergy Home, to do the job.He lacked money for starting the project, so he convinced Sayre’s head to support him after explaining the benefits of solar power for the school and community.
Since Sayre provided the initial seed money for infrastructure (基础设施) and the purchase of one panel, the project has grown to include a total of 30 panels. They are expected to produce enough energy to run all the science labs on campus.
“It feels like a dream to think that an idea I had from my AP Environmental Science class would have this kind of influence,” said Stewart, expressing his gratitude for Wheeler’s help. Wheeler said the success of the project was due to Stewart’s efforts and willingness to follow through with the project from start to finish.“I’ve had other students talking about environmental initiatives on campus, but Stewart had the perseverance and courage to make it happen,” she said.
Stewart said that he would eventually like to study Environmental Engineering at Stanford University in California.
1. What did Stewart do with the help of the mobile app?| A．He began his research on solar energy. |
| B．He found a perfect site for his project. |
| C．He did an energy calculation of the science lab. |
| D．He identified the specific address of his school. |
| A．Sayre School. |
| B．His community. |
| C．His science teacher. |
| D．Synergy Home. |
| A．The mobile app he discovered. |
| B．The air pollution in his community. |
| C．An idea from his environmental class. |
| D．A suggestion from his science teacher. |
| A．His willpower. | B．His bravery. |
| C．His wisdom. | D．His independence. |
【推荐3】3D-Printed Violins
While professional violinists often have instruments that cost between $2000 and $10, 000, it is possible to have one that costs millions depending on how they were and who made them.
However, the good news for them is that they will meet with low-cost and durable (耐用的) 3D-printed violins thanks to The Acoustical Society of America’s AVIVA Young Artists Program. The team’s inspiration roots in multiple places. Their goals were to explore the new world of sounds created by using new materials, to use the new technology of other fields, and to make music education accessible through the printing of more durable instruments.
“The next step is to lower the costs of production for making such instruments more widely available, especially in the field of education,” said Mary-Elizabeth Brown, director of the AVIVA Young Artists Program. Violins are not the only instruments that are produced through 3D-printing technology.
| A．Besides, the AVIVA violin is less damaged than its traditional wooden cousins. |
| B．3D-printed violins have been popular with beginners since they were invented. |
| C．The violin was built in two pieces using 3D printing. |
| D．The project is also to get violins to children that couldn’t otherwise afford them. |
| E．Indeed, even basic violins for students often cost $1000 or more. |
| F．Many instruments have been produced with a 3D printer before. |
| G．Most students have to give up learning the instrument due to the high cost. |
【推荐1】It's easy to check the sell-by dates when you go shopping, so that you know how long you can store and use the food you are buying. But did you know that the best sell-by dates on food packaging don't really tell you if the food is safe to eat? Food can last longer or on the other hand, the food may not last as long as it says if it wasn't stored correctly at any point of the distribution chain (分销连锁店) . Now there is a food packaging that works well to solve the problem.
Americans waste 103 pounds of spoiled food, which has gone bad, out of their refrigerators every year. The new smart packaging from Primitives Biodesign — a company that is mainly concerned with biotech in San Francisco - can help to reduce this huge waste of food.
This all-female team of scientists, engineers, and bio-designers of Primitives Biodesign spent months developing this new bio-based smart packaging that responds to environmental and safety changes in the food. It will respond by changing colors to tell you that food is no longer safe. Since it is made from a natural substance, it can also break down in nature.
Making the packaging smart is the difficult part. They put much manpower and fund into it. Here the team used a process that acts as the way nature responds to changes in the environment. According to the company, it responds like the way a pinecone responds to wet air by releasing seeds or the way flowers send compounds（混合物）to change colors.
The company has proven in lab tests that the technology works and now they are working on how to develop commercial（商业的）uses for it. The added safety features of the smart packaging will come out later, which will help control food waste in products like meat or cheese which have high greenhouse gas emissions（排放量）so as to help reduce the impact on climate change.
1. What can we know from Paragraph 1?| A．Few products show dependable sell-by dates. |
| B．Food is surely safe to eat within the use-by dates. |
| C．Storing food correctly is important for their safety. |
| D．People can know about food safety from their appearance. |
| A．Making food stay fresh longer. |
| B．Reminding people of spoiled food. |
| C．Recording the amount of wasted food. |
| D．Adjusting food temperature by changing colors. |
| A．Finding buyers for the smart packaging. |
| B．Raising money for environmental protection. |
| C．Doing experiments to test the new technology. |
| D．Making the smart packaging practical and greener. |
【推荐2】It is the responsibility of a food business to ensure that the food provided to customers is safe to consume. In order to do this, proper food safety criteria must always be followed. This includes ensuring that food is not spoiled or expired. Best-before dates, expiry dates (到期日) and packaging dates are key to knowing what foods are safe to prepare and serve, and which ones should be disposed of. Different types of date markings on packages are used depending on the product.
A best-before date on a food package states when the duration of the food ends. According to the Canadian Food Inspection Agency, durable life means “the anticipated amount of time that an unopened food product, when stored under appropriate conditions, will maintain its freshness, taste, nutritional value, or any other qualities claimed by the manufacturer (生产商).” This date can be found on a package underneath the words “best before”.
This date tells consumers that the unopened product should be of high quality until that specific date. The key with this date is that it is dependent upon the product being properly handled and stored based on the requirements of that particular food product. This means that failure to stick to the guidelines for handling and storing a particular product will affect its quality by the best-before date. This also means that the best-before date no longer applies if a package is opened.
An expiry date is not the same as a best-before date. These dates are required on certain foods that have specific nutritional compositions that could change after the determined expiration date. In other words, after the expiration date has passed, the food may not have the nutrient content as described on the label.
Expiry dates are required for formulated liquid diets, foods sold by a drugstore, meal replacements, nutritional supplements and infant formula. If a food has passed its expiration date it should be discarded and not used.
1. What do we know about best-before dates?| A．It is always safe to eat a food product earlier than the best-before date. |
| B．The best-before date applies even when a package is opened. |
| C．Consumers will be in danger if they eat food that has passed the best-before date. |
| D．The best-before date indicates the safety of food before that specific date. |
| A．A pair of limited-edition sneakers. | B．An article of designer dressing. |
| C．A can of milk powder. | D．A delicate vase. |
| A．abandoned. | B．hidden. | C．stored. | D．heated. |
| A．The secret of manufacturers. | B．The smart ways to buy best food. |
| C．The description of a packaging date. | D．The way to store products at home. |
【推荐3】Lucy was rescued from a rural farm in New South Wales, Australia, two years ago. She was suffering from chlamydia (衣原体病), a disease widespread among koalas. Today, she is one of “the lucky” living creatures in tree corridors (走廊) that have been created by volunteers to protect koalas and other animals by saving their quickly shrinking habitats, or natural environment.
The corridors, planted by the local conservation group Bangalow Koalas, are made up of large systems of plants. They are intended for koalas and other animals like the glossy black cockatoos, possums, and wallabies. All of them are endangered, or at risk of becoming extinct. The corridors provide a safe path across the koala’s increasingly broken habitat. “Our corridors are actually trying to get them away from humans, from cars and from dogs,” said Linda Sparrow, president of Bangalow Koalas. “They can safely move across the landscapes and don’t have to put up with us humans.”
The koala is predicted to be extinct in the wild in New South Wales by 2050. Some of the biggest dangers include wildfires and habitat loss through land clearing for development. Koalas have already been declared endangered in several Australian states. A recent report by the Australian Koala Foundation said the animal was worth an estimated $3.2 billion per year to the tourism industry.
Founded in 2016, Bangalow Koalas has planted over 936,000 trees on 119 properties, helping koala conservation and improving the local ecosystem. The group, which depends on com munity volunteers, aims to plant 500,000 trees by 2025. Volunteer Lindy Stacker, who has been planting trees for over five years, still remains devoted to the cause. She said the activity is good for mental health and has brought the community together. “I can’t imagine a world where there’s no koalas in the wild. We’re going to do everything we can possibly to. make sure that won’t happen,” Lindy said.
1. Who is Lucy?| A．A farmer. | B．A patient. | C．A volunteer. | D．A koala. |
| A．To shelter koalas from human threat. | B．To test the local natural environment. |
| C．To save koalas suffering from chlamydia. | D．To stop koalas’ habitats from being rebuilt. |
| A．The reason for koalas’ extinction. | B．Koalas’ value in tourism industry. |
| C．The necessity of saving koalas. | D．People’s deep love for koalas. |
| A．Bangalow Koalas: A Group Intended For Koalas |
| B．Tree Corridors: A Lifeline For Endangered Koalas |
| C．Bangalow Koalas: Call On Volunteers For Koalas’ Protection |
| D．Tree Corridors: Responsible For The Loss Of Koalas’ Habitats |
