In the movie “The Wrong Trousers”, a pair of futuristic trousers lets people walk on walls and ceilings. Inspired by the movie, researchers in England created “The Right Trousers”, a set of trousers embedded(嵌入) with electrical pumps to force air into tiny tubes that expand and can help elderly or disabled people with issues like getting up or improving blood flow. Now, material scientists, computer programmers and fabric designers are working to advance robotic clothing.
In June, researchers in Australia created robotic fibers, which can make fabric move automatically. Last year, scientists at MIT built fiber batteries that could be embedded into clothes and power robotic clothing. In recent years, Google partnered with brands like Levi’s and Adidas to put sensors in jackets, backpacks and shoes, letting users access their phones instantly. Researchers said they could soon unlock an era where clothing will act more like a computer, sensing how your body feels and telling your clothes how to help.
At the University of New South Wales in Australia, researchers are creating fabrics that can shape-shift. Thanh Nho Do, a senior lecturer at the school, said his team has created tiny tubes that can weave into sheets of fabric. These tubes can make fabric take various preprogrammed shapes. But challenges still remain for Do’s team, notably around making these robotic tubes smaller so they can weave easily with other fabrics.
Rebecca Kramer Bottiglio from Yale University agreed that many challenges remain before smart clothing “reaches their full potential.” It will be challenging to make these clothes, equipped with fibers and technology, strong enough to go through multiple cycles in the laundry, she said. Despite that, she says researchers will figure out a way forward. “Recent breakthroughs point toward a not-so-distant future where smart clothing will be a part of our everyday life.” she said.
1. What inspired the researchers to come up with “The Right Trousers”?| A．A film. |
| B．A blood issue. |
| C．The way electrical pumps work. |
| D．The way the elderly and disabled move. |
| A．They put sensors in clothes. |
| B．They created movable robotic fibers. |
| C．They made batteries for robotic clothing. |
| D．They released smart clothing connected to cellphones. |
| A．Making robotic tubes smaller. |
| B．Keeping robotic tubes properly shaped. |
| C．Producing stronger robotic tubes. |
| D．Programming the shape of robotic tubes. |
| A．Doubtful. | B．Indifferent. | C．Worried. | D．Hopeful. |
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【推荐1】Roughly 8.5 billion plastic straws are used in the United Kingdom each year, but as a new ban took effect, that number will decrease to zero. One company is hoping to corner the market in alternative (可供替代的) straws using an unlikely material: pasta.
“It has all the function of a plastic straw that everyone has been using, ” says Maxim Gelmann, the founder of Stroodles, the company. The straws, made by an Italian company that also produces regular pasta, are the same shape and size as a standard plastic straw.
Unlike a paper straw, they don’t taste like wet paper; they don’t change the flavor of the drink.
They last at least an hour, and longer in colder drinks. If you’re nursing a drink for hours and the pasta straw eventually softens, you can choose to eat it. The raw straw is also eatable, and Gelmann says that some people snack on them.
A handful of other pasta-straw companies also exist, though Stroodles is hoping to differentiate itself with a smoother, more plastic-like material and its branding.
It’s more expensive to make than a plastic straw, but in mass production, it can compete with the cost of paper straws. Because of the ban, “No one really compares us with plastic anymore,” Gelmann says. “They compare us with paper straws’ prices, which makes my argument much easier and our future brighter.”
Other alternatives, like bamboo or stainless steel (不锈钢), are more expensive and a less elegant solution; some bars say that customers don’t trust the idea that stainless steel straws can be fully sanitized (消毒). Another option— a plastic-like eatable straw made from seaweed— may be more of a competitor.
1. What’s the company’s main purpose of producing the pasta straws?| A．To occupy the market. | B．To reduce plastic pollution. |
| C．To answer the call for the ban. | D．To promote the sale of pasta. |
| A．They are easily broken. | B．They affect drinks’ taste. |
| C．They last a very short time. | D．They are not very clean. |
| A．Uncertain. | B．Doubtful. | C．Curious. | D．Positive. |
| A．Plastic straw alternative: one made from pasta |
| B．Pasta straws will bring great profits in the future |
| C．Which is better: pasta straws or paper straws? |
| D．Why are pasta straws welcomed by customers? |
【推荐2】In science, advances are a daily occurrence, but true breakthroughs are rare. What does it take to achieve world-changing scientific breakthroughs? Some are the result of a lucky accident, combined with curiosity. Scientists traveling down one road suddenly find reason to switch to another road, one they never planned to travel — a road that may well lead nowhere.
Whichever road scientists who achieve lifesaving breakthroughs travel, they often endure disinterest, like Fleming, who discovered penicillin due to lucky accidents and curiosity, or repeated skepticism and rejection, like Karikó, who made all mRNA vaccines possible with 20 years of persistence and resilience. By bringing their dreams to life, they were rewarded with fame and wealth and something even more valuable.
Of course, the obsession (执念) with an unlikely dream fails to pay off for many scientists.
Ultimately, scientific breakthroughs are possible only if a society is willing to invest in dreamers, recognizing that not all investments will lead to major breakthroughs.
| A．Some scientists are addicted to their crazy ideas. |
| B．Their ideas, though brilliant, in the end are proved wrong. |
| C．But they refuse to give in and struggle to find more financial support. |
| D．Because of them, millions of people around the world never got sick or died. |
| E．Other major breakthroughs originate from scientists pursuing a specific idea. |
| F．But sometimes the road leads to major breakthroughs like X-ray and vaccines. |
| G．However, the investments leading to breakthroughs bring a greater economic return. |
【推荐3】The 21st-century doctor now carries a whole set of diagnostic tools in his briefcase, and yes, unfortunately, the iconic stethoscope (听诊器) is now a little outdated! So, exactly what are all these necessary devices for the 21st century doctor?
The stethoscope goes digital. The Eko Core is the new revolution of stethoscopes. It can amplify the sounds of the heart by 40 times when in digital mode. It can also stream the heartbeat data to the cloud, allowing the physician to see the heartbeat in wave form on a mobile device as well as hear the sound at an amplified level.
A palm-sized ECG device. If someone asks you to think about the electrocardiogram (心电图) device, you will probably imagine a huge machine with many wires that are connected to a screen giving someone’s heart activity. In today’s digital health era, this machine has been down-sized so it can fit in the palm of your hand. The KardiaMobile 6L is a 6-lead medical-grade pocket-sized ECG machine. It will send the readings directly to your smartphone.
High-tech eye tech. The Personal Vision Tracker and the EyeQue Insight are light, accurate, and inexpensive devices. They allow for eye tests to be performed remotely.
Ear tech in your pocket. Ear examination can be uncomfortable for the patient and challenging for physicians in case of small or partially obstructed ear canals. The pocketable WiscMed otoscope aims to overcome these issues with its built-in nano camera which gives clear images of the eardrum.
1. What is a feature of the Eko Core?| A．It is a palm-sized machine. |
| B．It can greatly amplify the heart. |
| C．It allows doctors to check data by cell phone. |
| D．It can show clearly the image of the ear drum. |
| A．randomly | B．automatically | C．through mobile phone | D．from a distance |
| A．Updated. | B．Cheap. | C．Wireless. | D．Pocketable. |
【推荐1】The future is just around the corner, and according to some people who make the future their business, it doesn’t look dissimilar to what you see around you now, but below the surface there will be differences.
Your home of the future
One of the places in your home is the bathroom. It will have a toilet that can test urine (尿) for sugar levels, take your blood pressure and weigh you. All that information can then be uploaded to your doctor. Even the bathroom soap will be upgraded, which will have sunscreen (防晒霜) in it, which will stick to your skin.
The future of technology
The kitchen is often the centre of a home and it has the most potential for future changes. For example, a Web-enabled refrigerator will be able to talk to the manufacturer when a part wears out, so it can order a replacement without you ever knowing something was wrong.
Tiny, inexpensive computer chips called RFIDs, or radio frequency identification chips, will be attached to every product in your house. The refrigerator will read the chips, and will even be able to tell you when the milk has gone bad.
The counter will be able to make dinner suggestions. Your washing machine will know how to wash your favourite linen (亚麻布) skirt. And you will be able to call your oven from your cellphone to tell it when to start cooking the pot roast.
Future travelling
Futurists say robots will be a large part of life. Though a driverless car sounds like a crazy idea, it is built to be safer and more efficient than what is currently parked in the driveway.
Even with all of the changes coming in the future, the human condition will not change, though. At day’s end, you will still share a drink with a friend and kiss your kids goodnight, for no robots can do that.
1. How will the manufacturer know what part of the refrigerator is wrong?| A．The host or hostess will tell the manufacturer about it. |
| B．The refrigerator has a function to do that. |
| C．A radio set in the kitchen will perform that. |
| D．The Web-enabled refrigerator will tell the manufacturer automatically. |
| A．To prove the skirt made of linen is easy to wash. |
| B．To show how to wash clothes or bedding made of linen. |
| C．To point out the intelligence of the future washing machine. |
| D．To introduce one of the shortcomings of the washing machine. |
| A．How people will travel in the future. |
| B．What our future lifestyle will look like. |
| C．How people will prepare food in the future. |
| D．What changes will happen in our restroom. |
【推荐2】It’s 2035. You have a job, a family and you’re about 40 years old. Welcome to our future life.
Getting ready for work, you pause in front of the mirror. “Turn red,” you say. Your shirt changes from sky blue to deep red. Tiny preprogrammed electronics (智能电子元件) are rearranged in your shirt to change its color. Looking into the mirror, you find it hard to believe you’re 40. You look much younger. With amazing advances in medicine, people in your generation may live to be 150 years old. You’re not even middle aged!
As you go into the kitchen and prepare to pour your breakfast cereal（谷物） into a bowl, you hear, “To lose weight, you shouldn’t eat that,” from your shoes. They read the nutrition details on the cereal box. You decide to listen to your shoes. “Kitchen, what can I have for breakfast?” A list of possible foods appears on the table as the kitchen checks its food supplies.
“Ready for your trip to space,” you ask your son and daughter. In 2021 only specially-trained astronauts went into space---and very few of them. Today anyone can go to space for daytrips or longer vacations. Your best friend even works in space. Thanks to medical advances, vaccination shots (防疫针) are a thing of the past. Ordinary foods like strawberries contain specific vaccines(疫苗). With the strawberries in their mouths, the kids head for the front door.
It’s time for you to go to work. Your car checks your fingerprints and unlocks the doors. “My office,” you command. Your car drives itself down the road and move smoothly into traffic on the highway.
1. What changes the color of your shirt?| A．The mirror. | B．The shirt itself |
| C．The counter. | D．The medicine. |
| A．By pouring the breakfast into a bowl. |
| B．By listening to the doctor’s advice. |
| C．By testing the food supplies in the kitchen. |
| D．By checking the nutrition details of the food on the cereal box. |
| A．breakfast | B．lunch | C．vaccines | D．nutrition |
| A．In order of time. | B．In order of frequency. |
| C．In order of preference. | D．In order of importance. |
【推荐3】You get up in the morning and look into the mirror. Your face is firm and young-looking. In 2035, medical technology is better than ever. Many people could live to be 150, so at 40, you’re not old at all. And your parents just had an anti-aging medicine. Now, all three of you look the same age!
You say to your shirt, “Turn red.” It changes from blue to red. In 2035, “smart clothes” contain particles(粒子) much smaller than the cells in your body. The particles can be programmed to change your clothes’ color.
You walk into the kitchen. You pick up the milk, but a voice says, “You shouldn’t drink that!” Your fridge has read the chip that contains information about the milk, and it knows the milk is out of date. In 2035, every article of food in the store has such a chip.
It’s time to go to work. In 2035, cars drive themselves. Just tell your “smart car” where to go. On the way, you can call a friend using your jacket sleeve. Such “smart technology” is all around you.
So will all these things come true? “For new technology to succeed” says scientist Andrew Zoll, “it has to be so much better than it replaces what we have already.” The Internet is one example—what will be the next?
1. In 2035, many people could live to be 150 because of ________.| A．the magical mirror |
| B．the magical food |
| C．the good scientists |
| D．the better medical technology |
| A．mirror | B．clothes |
| C．food | D．cars |
| A．everyone will look the same |
| B．people will never get old |
| C．clothes can change the color by themselves |
| D．people can get fresh milk anytime from the fridge |
| A．Food and Clothing in 2035 |
| B．Welcome to Your Future Life! |
| C．Medical Technology of the Future |
| D．What Will Be the Next? |
【推荐1】Three persons were asked what they found most useful at school, and their thoughts were shared below.
I hated typing at school. I took it because it was the only subject choice I had for that period. That was 20 years ago. Only secretaries typed in those days; no one had computers at home or at work, and I thought it was the subject choice of those who had no ambition! What’s more, I was not good at it at all. I was as bad at typing as I was at tennis! I made so many mistakes. But today I’m the fastest typist at the keyboard that I know. Typing is the new writing. Knowing where to put my fingers on the keys means that I get the job done faster and more easily than my colleagues in the office. That one year of tying class has made my whole life easier.
Christine Green
Bunbury, Australia
We had a class called Guidance and in it we learnt about making good decisions in life. I found it pretty boring and didn’t pay much attention. One day the teacher made us guess which appliance we should buy first once we had our own homes. The answer was a fridge. Without a fridge, you cannot keep your food fresh and will waste a great deal of money with food going off. I learnt that it was true once I had my own place. The first day I bought some chicken meat. By dinner times it smelled and I couldn’t even eat it! My housemate and I started saving to buy a fridge straight away even though we were broke university students.
Rowan Kight
Cape Town, South Africa
In school, you also learn to deal with life in general. Little mistakes can seem to be very serious Wear the wrong outfit and it seems that everyone is laughing at you. Get too close to a boy too fast and everyone talks about you. You want to crawl into a hole and die! But the truth is that life goes on. You might be extremely embarrassed and feel that what you did “wrong” will never ever be forgotten. However, if you can be brave and keep on, you will find that whatever happened will pass and you will start to enjoy life again.
Lindsey Smith
Boston, United States
1. Why didn’t Christine Green like typing?| A．She thought she was already good at it. |
| B．She preferred tennis to typing. |
| C．She thought it a choice of those who weren’t ambitious. |
| D．She didn’t know where to put her fingers on the keys. |
| A．To crawl into a hole and hide. | B．To have a talk with the person who laughed at you. |
| C．To forget whatever happened. | D．To be brave and keep on. |
| A．They all met some difficulties at school. | B．They all learned helpful things at school. |
| C．They all got helps from their teachers. | D．They all achieved great success. |
【推荐2】Things To Do in Los Angeles on Labor Day weekend, September 18-20, 2020
Families will find fun things to do with your kids this weekend from September 18th to 20th. Make some art, visit a museum, enjoy a drive-in movie, and more!
Bowers Museum
2002 N. Main St., Santa Ana, CA 92706
The Bowers Museum is now open and ready to safely welcome your family. Current exhibitions include Inside the Walt Disney Archives: 50 Years of Preserving the Magic, a 10,000-square-foot traveling exhibit that features more than 400 objects. Timed tickets will be required. Make your reservation online.
The Virtual Orange County Children’s Book Festival
3857 Birch Street, Suite 414, Newport Beach, CA 92660
The Virtual Orange County Children’s Book Festival begins on Monday, September 14th and continues until Saturday, September 26th. A variety of activities are planned including story times, illustrating demonstrations, interactive activities, discussion panels, and much more. Check the website for a complete schedule of events.
Sawdust Art Festival: An Outdoor Marketplace
935 Laguna Canyon Rd., Laguna Beach, CA 92651
The Sawdust Art Festival: An Outdoor Marketplace opens this weekend on Saturday, September 19th from 10:00 am to 6:00 pm. The Outdoor Marketplace will be open on weekends only, and advance tickets are required. Families will have the opportunity to safely shop, watch live art demonstrations, and enjoy outdoor dining and live music. Tickets are available online. Admission is $10 for adults and free for kids 12 and under.
Drive-In Movies at the Mall: The Princess Bride
500 Lakewood Mall, Lakewood, CA
Enjoy a drive-in screening of The Princess Bride at the Lakewood Center Mall on Saturday, September 19th. The movie starts at 8:00 pm and the parking lot is not accessible until 7:00 pm. A free goody bag will be provided to each car. Tickets are available online.
1. Which of the following does NOT require tickets?| A．Bowers Museum. |
| B．Sawdust Art Festival. |
| C．Drive-In Movies at the Mall. |
| D．The Virtual Orange County Children’s Book Festival. |
| A．Appreciate live music. | B．See drive-in movies. |
| C．Enjoy dining indoors. | D．Watch free art demonstrations. |
| A．6:25 pm, September 19th. | B．7:25 pm, September 19th. |
| C．9:00 pm, September 19th. | D．8:25 pm, September 19th. |
【推荐3】You should try your best to create your own family library so that you and your family are always learning. "It is a great mistake to think that education is finished when young people leave school. Education is never finished even if you grow older," said Mrs Child in The Mother's Book. "Collecting a library of books in your home is really helpful to your family. ”
"What is really interesting about having so many books in your home is that a book you purchase has a chapter about the deeper knowledge of your favorite subject at school," said a university graduate. Researchers in a study tries to identify what parents do has an influence on how well their children do on standardized tests. One positive aspect they find is the availability of a large number of books at home. This has a stronger connection, especially when you read to your children every day. The more books your older kids have access to at home, the more likely they are just to be reading for fun, rather than having to wait for weekly trips to the library.
John Henry, one educated parent, said, "I have been homeschooling my children using the philosophy of A Thomas Jeffer son Education. This philosophy of learning is based on the reading of classic books. ” Clinton Fadiman said, "When you reread a classic, you do not see more in the book than you did before； you see more in you than before. " Classic books also make you smarter and wiser! The wisdom comes in the examples in the lives of the characters.
"It is within your power to guide your youth in their reading and to cultivate in their hearts a desire for good books. It is the most unfortunate if a person is not possessed with the desire for good reading. The reading habit, like charity, should begin at home," said Mrs Child.
1. What does the author mainly want to show in paragraph 2?| A．Kids don't need to go to the library any longer. |
| B．Parents should set a good example at home. |
| C．It's necessary to create a family library. |
| D．It's important to let kids pass standardized tests. |
| A．By quoting others ’words. | B．By questioning. |
| C．By imagination. | D．By analyzing research data. |
| A．East or west, home is best. |
| B．One is never too old to learn. |
| C．He who makes no mistakes makes nothing. |
| D．Charity is the soul, rather than the virtues of hand. |
| A．Where to Store Your Favorite Books at Home? |
| B．When to Read the Classic Books to Your Children? |
| C．Which Is Better, a Home Library or a Public Library? |
| D．Why Not Have Your Own Library of Books at Home? |
