Five times stronger than steel, spider silk’s unique qualities were recognised by the Ancient Greeks-and more recently, scientists have looked at applications from medicine to engineering.
Now, one Japanese startup, Spiber, is exploring how spider web s could transform the clothing industry. The biotech company started by making a spider-silk-like material in the lab and has since expanded its fabric range to include more sustainable alternatives to wool and cashmere, says Kenji Higashi, head of business development at Spiber.
Spiders create web s by giving out liquid protein that will later change into silk. Kazuhide Sekiyama and Junichi Sugahara, Spiber’s founders, decided to create a material that is identical to spider silk. They studied “thousands of different spider species,” as well as other silk-producing species, and collected a database of silk varieties.
Having successfully produced the spider silk alternative, the team went on to develop a range of fabrics by changing the protein order. Spiber’s fibers are made by fermenting(发酵) water, sugar and nutrients with specially modified microbes (改良微生物) in steel tanks to produce protein polymers to be made into a fiber. Later, the team discovered that the spider silk alternative shrinks(收缩) when wet, so they modified the protein to get a fiber with desirable properties, such as water proof and increased strength, which is suitable for an outdoor jacket.
Fashion is one of the most polluting industries in the world. It produces around 2.1 billion metric tons of CO2 every year. Higashi says Spiber’s biodegradable products are predicted to generate just one-fifth of the carbon emissions of animal-based fibers once they are in mass production. And it is now developing a process that will transform abandoned clothes made from natural materials like cotton into the sugars needed for fermentation.
Currently trying to expand its production and getting ready for a full commercial launch of its products, Spiber hopes its technology will help to “solve some of the big global challenges that we’re facing,” says Higashi.
1. What is a primary purpose of Spiber’s research in the lab?| A．To develop new applications of spider silk. | B．To invent a replacement for spider silk. |
| C．To transform the structure of spider silk. | D．To study silk-producing spider species. |
| A．By adapting the protein. | B．By diversifying microbes. |
| C．By wetting the fiber. | D．By lengthening fermenting time. |
| A．Fancy and stylish. | B．Costly yet profitable. |
| C．Strong and sustainable. | D．Lightweight yet resource-consuming. |
| A．The practical application of Spiber’s products. | B．The environmental value of Spiber’s products. |
| C．The technical challenges of Spiber’s products. | D．The potential markets of Spiber’s products. |
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【推荐1】Engineering researchers at the University of Waterloo are successfully using a robot to help keep children with learning disabilities focusing on their work. This was one of the key results in a new study that also found both the youngsters and their instructors valued the positive classroom contributions made by the robot.
“There is definitely a great potential for using robots in the public education system.” said Dr Kerstin Dautenhahn, a professor of electrical and computer engineering. “Overall, the findings imply that the robot has a positive effect on students.” Students with learning disabilities may benefit from additional learning support, such as one-on-one instruction and the use of smartphones and tablets.
Dautenhahn has been working on robotics in the context of disability for many years. He conducted a series of tests with a small humanoid robot called QT. Dautenhahn said the robot’s ability to perform gestures using its head and hands, accompanied by its speech and facial features, makes it very suitable for use with children with learning disabilities.
Building on promising earlier research, the researchers divided 16 students with learning disabilities into two groups. In one group, students worked one-on-one with an instructor only. In the other group, the students worked one-on-one with an instructor and a QT. In the latter group, the instructor used a tablet to direct the robot, which then autonomously performed various activities using its speech and gestures.
While the instructor controlled the sessions, the robot, triggered by the instructor, took over at certain times to lead the students. Besides introducing the session, the robot set goals and provided self-regulating strategies, if necessary. If the learning process was getting off-track, the robot used strategies such as games, riddles, jokes, breathing exercises and physical movements to redirect the students back to the task.
“Students who worked with the robot were generally more engaged with their tasks and could complete their tasks at a higher rate compared to the students who weren’t assisted by a robot,” Dautenhahn said. Further studies using the robot are planned.
1. How can robots benefit students with learning disabilities?| A．By providing advanced knowledge. | B．By offering emotional support. |
| C．By giving extra learning help. | D．By acting as learning companions. |
| A．Its ability to make gestures. | B．The popularity of robots. |
| C．Its convenience to use. | D．The low cost in making QT. |
| A．picked up | B．set off | C．taken out | D．brought in |
| A．A number of students suffer from learning disabilities |
| B．A robot can provide self-regulating strategies for students |
| C．A robot has a great potential in the public education system |
| D．A robot helps students with learning disabilities stay focused |
【推荐2】The motivation for his invention came to Aarrav Anil last year when he saw his uncle Arjun, who has Parkinson’s disease, struggle to eat. Some food spilled (溢出) out of his mouth, the rest splattered (溅) on his clothes. Arjun attempted to keep his dignity but the frustration forced him to give up and call his helper to feed him.
The sight of his uncle’s shaking the spoon so violently inspired Aarrav, 17, from Bengaluru, south India, to turn to robotics. He locked himself in his room with microcontrollers, sensors, motors, and a 3D printer. What emerged was a prototype (原型) of a smart spoon that is now undergoing trials at the RV College of Physiotherapy in Bengaluru.
The sensors in the battery-operated spoon detect shaking on one side and activate movement on the other, effectively cancelling out shaking to keep the spoon stable.
“I’ve been fine tuning the design based on the college’s feedback-that it needs to be waterproof so that it can be washed without damaging all the electronics inside; that it must be removable so it can be cleaned and replaced by a fork, ” Aarrav says.
For Aarrav it is the peak of a 10-year interest in mechanics that began when his mother bought him a Lego set. He has now represented India at more than 20 robotics competitions across the world.
When the blueprint for the smart spoon won first prize in the future innovators category at last year’s World Robot Olympiad in Germany, Aarrav felt encouraged to make the prototype.
More than 7 million people in India are estimated to have Parkinson’s disease, a condition in which parts of the brain become progressively damaged and which mainly affects people over the age of 50. Symptoms (症状) include involuntary shaking and stiff muscles. As the disease progresses, eating can become more difficult, forcing people to rely on help from others.
Aarrav’s ambition is that every family that has someone with Parkinson’s will have the smart spoon. He says his uncle Arjun’s words keep echoing (回响) in his mind: “Who would have thought such a small thing could mean the difference between dignity and indignity?”
1. What can Aarrav’s invention help people with Parkinson’s do?| A．Control their physical balance. | B．Boost their mood and relieve stress. |
| C．Maintain a good range of movement. | D．Feed themselves more independently. |
| A．Overturning. | B．Reconsidering. |
| C．Conducting a study of. | D．Making minor changes to. |
| A．To show prospects of Aarrav’s invention. |
| B．To reveal the nation’s poor health situation. |
| C．To popularize general knowledge of the disease. |
| D．To convince people to volunteer for social causes. |
| A．He enjoys being alone. | B．He has an innovative mind. |
| C．He used to be a health worker. | D．He longed to be a businessman. |
【推荐3】A new keyboard can tell whether you are its owner. The keyboard records information about the typing pattern and sends it to a computer program. The program then checks to see if the pattern matches the right user. If not, an alarm sounds, and the computer locks the typist out. It locks out anyone else, even if the person knows password. What’s more, this device needs no batteries. It harvests all the energy it needs from the action of your typing. Besides, the keyboard is also self-cleaning and the keys are free of damage from water, oil and dirt.
The keys of the new keyboard are made of the same inexpensive plastic that might be found on any other standard keyboard. But instead of being smooth, the keys have millions of tiny plastic nanowires (纳米线) on their surface area to every key, increasing the effective contact area between the plastics and fingers. This ensures that there’s enough power to run the keyboard as someone types.
Liming Dai, a scientist, did not work on the new keyboard, but he thinks the design could be important in getting better performance from a variety of devices. “It could also be applied to a touch screen, for instance,” Dai says. “Then smart phones and notepads could harvest energy from the action of someone typing or drawing.”
“Future work might make the keyboard even more useful,” Dai adds. “A later design might build tiny capacitors(电容器) onto the nanowires,” he suggests. Capacitors are little devices that temporarily store electric charges. Those might then LEDs to light a Keyboard in the dark.
Zhonglin Wang is a co-designer of the new keyboard. His team has build a working model of the keyboard. “If a company decides to fund(投资) its production, this keyboard could be in stores in as little as two years,” says Wang.
1. How does the new keyboard tell whether you are its owner?| A．By matching the typing pattern to the right user. |
| B．By sending alarms to a computer program. |
| C．By checking the right user’s passwords. |
| D．By recording information about the typing pattern. |
| A．Unconcerned. | B．Doubtful. |
| C．Positive. | D．Critical. |
| A．A New Keyboard Made of Nanowires |
| B．A New Keyboard Entirely Owned by you |
| C．A New Keyboard’s Future |
| D．A New Keyboard Powered by Typing |
【推荐1】"That's awesome”, said NASA astronaut Kjell Lindgren, after he ate a piece of red lettuce （莴苣）that was grown in a special box. "Tastes good," agreed US astronaut Scott Kelly, who is spending one year at the research station. "kind of like arugula （芝麻菜），” Kelly added, and then used small bottles to spread olive oil and vinegar on his leaf, much as one might spread ketchup on a hot dog.
NASA says that if space explorers can grow their own food while they are away from the Earth they would be more likely to survive the deep space exploration, which can last months or even years. With no way to resupply a spacecraft making a long journey to and from Mars, the ability to grow food during the trip will be key to survive. "Having the ability for us to grow our own food is a big step in that direction.” Kelly said.
Ray Wheeler, NASA's lead scientist for advanced life support activities at Kennedy Space Center in Florida, also said fresh foods that contain antioxidants, such as tomatoes, blueberries and red lettuce, “could have a positive impact on people's moods and also could provide some protection against radiation in space.”
The red romaine lettuce was grown in a special plant-growing box called a Veggie unit, and was flown to space. The seeds are contained in rooting pillows, which come complete with soil and fertilizer. Since water cannot be poured in space, a special irrigation system delivers moisture to the plant pillows from below.
The seeds were "activated" by Kelly on July 8 and grew for 33 days. On Monday, Lindgren used tongs （夹子）to harvest the lettuce from its growing box, before attaching the leaves carefully to a tray. He cleaned them with food-safe bag and shared with other four members.
A previous crop of lettuce was grown in space last year but was not eaten by astronauts. Instead, it underwent-and passed-food safety tests back on Earth.
1. How did Scott prepare the space-grown lettuce?| A．He cooked it in a special box. | B．He mixed it with some arugula. |
| C．He spread a little bit ketchup on it. | D．He put olive oil and vinegar on it. |
| A．The journey to and from Mars. | B．The way to grow food. |
| C．The building of a research station. | D．The ability of flying in space. |
| A．The lettuce is a great step enabling human to travel to Mars. |
| B．Humans won't be able to arrive at Mars without the lettuce. |
| C．Tomatoes are obviously better than blueberries in size. |
| D．Radiation wouldn,t be harmful if people ate some lettuce. |
| A．There is no enough growing area. | B．It is very hard to send up the seeds. |
| C．A special way of watering is needed. | D．It does not need soil or the fertilizer. |
【推荐2】I recently posted a picture on Facebook from the movie Mad Max, a film where two groups race through the desert in steam punk vehicles, and wrote, “Actual picture of my way to work today.” It was meant to be a joke because of the sandstorms in Beijing, but one of my friends from back home thought it was real.
I couldn’t imagine how they could think that is actually what China is like. China has so many more conveniences and advantages than the West, and many of my friends agree. “I don’t know how I will be able to deal when I go back home,” said a friend who is about to end her gap year in Beijing. “I’ve become so spoiled in China.
China seems to be leading the way in innovation and convenience for daily life. Back home I could never shop, pull out my phone and scan a QR code to pay.
There have been rumors of starting bike sharing in my hometown for years with little success while bike sharing suddenly appeared in Beijing overnight. I just step outside and scan a code, and I am on my way.
Going out to eat with a group of friends back home was troublesome for both the group and the servers. Splitting checks and swiping(刷) 10 different cards or making change for each person in the group can be a pain. But with China’s WeChat, you can quickly send your friends your part of the bill.
The list goes on…
When I first arrived in Beijing, I was dead set on leaving in a month. That month has come and gone. Now, when someone asks me when I’m coming back, I think to myself, “Who knows?”
While my friends think I’m riding through the desert on a motorbike, I am actually taking a “Didi” for what is the equivalent of $5 in the US.
With all the conveniences and technology here, I may never want to go back.
1. What’s the function of Paragraph 1?| A．To introduce a movie. | B．To tell an interesting story. |
| C．To introduce the topic. | D．To show the weather in Beijing. |
| A．He couldn’t stand the weather. | B．He didn’t want to stay long. |
| C．He never wanted to go back home. | D．He was amazed at the bike sharing. |
| A．China is the first country to start bike sharing. |
| B．The author has become used to mobile payment in China. |
| C．People always use WeChat to pay when eating out in the US. |
| D．The author’s friends all know the convenience of living in China. |
| A．Bike sharing has spread all over China. |
| B．Foreigners have misunderstandings of China. |
| C．Technology has brought much convenience in China. |
| D．Life in foreign countries is not as easy as we thought. |
Skeptical bosses will likely have their doubts reinforced (加深) by the same survey, which shows that 43 percent of workers say they've watched TV or a movie while “working” remotely, while 35 percent have done housework，and 28 percent have cooked dinner.
It is true, however, that working at home makes people much more efficient (高效的), because it allows workers to take care of annoying housework while still getting their jobs done. It’s much faster, for example, to shop for groceries at a quarter to three than to stand in line during the after-work rush.
The fact that such practices remain officially unaccepted reflects how far we haven't come as a society from the days when we expected every full-time worker to be supported by a full-time homemaker.
More broadly the Wakefield survey suggests that employers may be missing a low-cost way to give workers something of value. Sixty-four percent of those survey participants who haven't worked remotely would rather give up some bonus in order to get even one day a week working from home. Under such circumstances, smart firms need to find ways to let their employees have enough ability to change or be changed easily to suit a different situation to manage their time efficiently.
1. Why do some employers hesitate to allow remote working?
| A．They are used to face-to-face communication. |
| B．They want to stick to their routine practice. |
| C．They have little trust in modern technology. |
| D．They fear losing control of their workers. |
| A．Favorable. | B．Doubtful. | C．Reserved. | D．Disapproving. |
| A．Shorten their office hours. |
| B．Give employees a pay raise. |
| C．Adopt flexible work patterns. |
| D．Reduce their staff’s workload. |
【推荐1】Tonya, Elsa and Mark are students at SAR Senior High School in New York City. It's a school with regular academic (学术的) classes, but it also gives special attention to the performing arts. Tonya likes dancing. Elsa wants to be an artist and Mark is a singer.
The students are all 15, and they're in the 10th grade. They study subjects like English, maths, social studies, science and PE. They also choose a foreign language: French, Italian, Spanish or Japanese. Students have many academic classes, but during the school day they also take classes in the arts, like theater, art, dance and music.
There are even more activities for SAR students after school. There are more than 40 clubs for students. For example, there's a movie club, a music club and an environmental club. “We have so many choices to select," says Tonya. “I like taking photos. It's also a great way to meet people with common interests."
Students at SAR can also do many sports. For example, they can play basketball, tennis, volleyball and soccer. Students practice after school. They compete against other high schools. Mark says, “At school, I study by myself. I'm a singer, and I do that alone, too. That's why I like playing on the basketball team. We work together and compete against other teams."
SAR offers various great classes, clubs and sports for students. Students at SAR get a good education and they also develop their own interests. Many SAR students become dancers, singers and actors!
1. What do we know about SAR Senior High School?| A．Students take art classes at night. |
| B．Students have few subjects to choose from. |
| C．It places great importance on arts. |
| D．It aims to develop students’ language skills. |
| A．The photography club. | B．The music club. |
| C．The movie club. | D．The environment club. |
| A．It helps him make more friends. | B．It makes him try his best. |
| C．He hopes to build up his health. | D．He likes teamwork. |
| A．Education at SAR. | B．Top Students at SAR. |
| C．School Life at SAR. | D．SAR’s after-school activities. |
【推荐2】What does being happy have to do with luck? To answer the question, a team of researchers from the UK and Hong Kong gave surveys to 844 English-speaking university students in Hong Kong. The survey questions measured their thoughts about luck and their happiness levels.
The researchers observed that less happy people believed in external (外在的) luck—the “Good luck with that!” variety that controls our good or bad. The authors point out that blaming “luck” for events and experiences makes people lose personal self-determination, which diminishes their sense of purpose and, in turn, their happiness. Believing we need luck to be successful may make us less determined to reach goals and take risks.
On the other hand, happier people believed themselves to be personally lucky. Viewing yourself as lucky, the researchers suggest, shows an active and positive attitude that develops hope and self-acceptance. Personally lucky people may feel more confident to try new things or act in ways that help others.
How does luck influence those people? Next, the research team asked those people to fill another survey. They found that people who believed in external luck were more likely to be less active, and in turn were less happy. Those who believe they’re especially lucky suffer less of a hit to happiness.
This study has its value. However, the data all come from surveys filled out by those surveyed, which means the responses may be too personal. Moreover, the use of a one-time survey means we cannot say that one thing causes another.
Although there are some limits, this study stresses the value of thinking about luck as something that benefits us. Moreover, this study helps explain why we call people “happy go lucky”—because happy is how we feel when we focus on how personally lucky we are.
1. What does the underlined word “diminishes” in paragraph 2 probably mean?| A．Explains. | B．Reduces. | C．Develops. | D．Balances. |
| A．They are always helped by others. | B．They have a preference for the past. |
| C．They have confidence in themselves. | D．They like changing their own goals. |
| A．Its findings are unreliable. | B．It has space for improvement. |
| C．It is actually of little value. | D．Its research method is perfect. |
| A．The Connection Between Happiness and Luck |
| B．Being Happy Has Nothing to Do With Luck |
| C．How Less Happy People Can Become Luckier |
| D．The Latest Study on People’s Happiness Levels |
【推荐3】The smell of dirty old socks leaves most people holding their noses. But scientists have discovered it is just the opposite for a certain pest. Researchers have found that the smell of old socks is actually extremely attractive to mosquitoes. Dr. Fredros Okumu, head of the research project at Tanzania's Ifakara Health Institute, plans to use this new information to develop a device that will attract and trap mosquitoes. He hopes this unusual method will help prevent and fight malaria （疟疾）.
Malaria is a disease that is spread by infected mosquitoes. The disease can spread easily and quickly. One mosquito carrying malaria can infect lots of people.
Malaria can be prevented and treated. But many African nations don't have the funds to fight it. While the global infection rate of malaria is continuing to drop, there are still over 220 million cases of malaria each year. Nearly 800,000 of these cases result in death, the majority of them being children in Africa.
Many methods have already been developed to prevent human from mosquitoes, such as, bed nets and insecticide(杀虫剂). But no such developments have been made to battle them outdoors. The smelly mosquito trap may be the answer. "The global goal of eradication （根除）of malaria will not be possible without new technologies," said Okumu, who has been working on this project for two years.
Okumu mixed eight chemical compounds（化合物）to create the perfect smell to attract the mosquitoes into the trap. Then he experimented with poisons until he found one that could kill up to 95 percent of mosquitoes. And the tests showed that traps with the smell of human feet attracted four times as many mosquitoes as a human volunteer.
1. Dr. Fredros Okumu wants to create a new device to ____.| A．prevent human from being disturbed by mosquitoes |
| B．help human fight against an awful disease |
| C．catch more mosquitoes to do his experiment |
| D．cure those people who have smelly feet |
| A．The reason why malaria can be prevented and treated. |
| B．What African people have done to fight malaria. |
| C．The current situation of malaria in Africa. |
| D．The reason why malaria has affected so many people in Africa. |
| A．Bed nets and insecticide rarely work outdoors. |
| B．The chemical compounds used by Okumu are collected from smelly socks. |
| C．Dirty, old socks have been proved to be useful to kill mosquitoes. |
| D．Malaria will be eradicated soon by smelly mosquito traps. |
