【推荐3】Google’s self-driving car is designed to work without a gas pedal (踏板) or steering wheel (方向盘). Now, the company has decided that the car doesn’t have any windscreen wipers either, because there’s no need for passengers to see where they are being driven.

The car requires no input from a driver, except telling it the destination. There is no driving in the way we know it and all people inside the cars will be passengers who can spend their time paying no attention to the road. While the car may not need windscreen wipers, the absence of them may make passengers feel helpless if they are unable to see where they are going clearly.

Google’s two-seater “bubble” cars have buttons to begin and end the drive, but no other controls. An on-board computer uses data from sensors, including radar (雷达) and cameras, to make turns and keep away from people walking in the street and other vehicles. Under the vision made public by Google, passengers might set their destination by typing it into a map or using voice commands. The new car can’t go faster than 25 miles per hour (40 km/h). It is electric and has to be recharged after 80 miles (129 km). They can only be used in areas that have been thoroughly mapped by Google.

Google has been testing its self-driving cars since 2009 and its new model without a steering wheel since early this summer. It intends on making its driverless cars available to consumers in the next five years. The final goal of the project is computer-controlled cars that can get rid of human error, which results in about 90 percent of the 1.2 million road deaths worldwide each year and it was also inspiring to start with a blank sheet of paper.

1. Why may people feel helpless riding in Google’s self-driving car?

A．There are no other controls.	B．They have no idea of the destination.
C．They are unable to see the road clearly.	D．The car is traveling too fast.

2. What’s the main idea of the third paragraph?

A．The tests the car needs to pass.

B．How Google’s self-driving car works.

C．The development of the new car.

D．What the drivers need to drive the car.

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

A．Filled with electricity.

B．Repaired from time to time.

C．Asked for some money again.

D．Designed into a new style.

4. What can we learn from the last paragraph?

A．Google began to test self-driving cars this summer.

B．Driverless cars will be available to consumers next year.

C．Google’s computer controlled cars fire the drivers’ inspiration.

D．Most of the road deaths are caused by drivers.

【推荐1】As people become more aware of the importance of eco-friendly power sources, we have devoted much time to inventing creative devices. A newly developed paper battery promises to make a big difference to single-use electronics.

The battery is crafted from sustainable materials, which not only strengthens its eco-friendliness but also makes it cost-effective to produce. This combination of biodegradability (可生物降解) and affordability makes it attractive for a wide range of applications. Another standout feature of this paper battery is its flexibility in terms of shape and size. Unlike traditional batteries that are available in fixed sizes, this paper battery can be tailored to meet diverse requirements.

In reality, the paper battery is enough to power an LCD alarm clock. “While it won’t be charging up your computer anytime soon, there’s lots of potential for low-powered sensors. We present a printed paper battery developed to power single-use disposable electronics and to reduce their environmental impact to the lowest level,” write the researchers in their published paper.

The battery is based on a metal-air electrochemical cell. Made from sodium chloride salt-diffused (氯化钠盐扩散的) paper, it can measure as little as one square centimeter, and is based on printed inks. All that’s needed, then, is a small amount of water, as little as two drops. This dissolves the salts within the paper, and then activates the battery as they travel. The battery starts producing power around 20 seconds after water is added, according to the experiments carried out by the team.

Although the performance decreases over time as the paper dries out, it can be topped up to some extent with more water. The researchers say they want to improve the efficiency of the battery in the future, and get it working for longer. “With a rising awareness of the e-waste problem and the emergence of single-use electronics for applications, there is a growing need for low environmental impact batteries,” write the researchers.

1. Which is a feature of the paper battery?

A．It is made from single-use materials.	B．It is costly to put together.
C．It can be used to charge up your computer.	D．It can be produced in diverse shapes.

2. What can we learn about the paper battery according to the text?

A．It can be applied to any electronics.

B．It is able to supply energy to our cell-phones.

C．Its power can be refilled by adding some water.

D．It has reduced the environmental impact to the lowest.

3. What’s the main idea of paragraph 4?

A．What the paper battery consists of.	B．How the paper battery works.
C．Where the paper battery can be applied.	D．Why the paper battery is popular.

4. What is most likely to be the focus of future research according to the researchers?

A．How to get rid of impacts of single-use electronics.

B．How to improve the efficiency of the paper battery.

C．How to reduce the demand for single-use electronics.

D．How to raise people’s awareness of e-waste problems.

【推荐2】We don’t know how different our future will be in the future.We can only try to imagine it.

At first we think about human relationship. In the year 2050, we will use computers almost every day. We will be making new friends through the Internet—even our husbands or wives will be met in this way. It will be much faster and easier for us. On the other hand, our relationships with people won’t be as important as they are today—we will feel a little lonely.

Computers will also help us in many other activities in 2050. For example, they will be used by the children at school to make their learning easier. In addition, there will be much more other machines which will play a similar role as computers, like robots which will do the housework for us.

Spending holidays will also be completely different.Traveling to other planets or to the moon will be available for everyone. Means of transport will, of course, change, too. We will be using solar-powered cars, which will be much more environmentally friendly.

We could expect that the faster technological progress would lead to a more polluted environment. But it isn’t true. We will pay more attention to protecting the environment. And, scientists will probably find cures for many dangerous diseases, like cancer or AIDS. Therefore, our surroundings as well as health will be in better condition.

Although we can’t predict the exact changes which will be made in the world, we often think about them. We worry about our and our children’s future; we have expectations, hopes as well as fears. But I think we should be rather sanguine about our future. We should be happy and believe good things will happen.

1. Why will people probably feel a little lonely in 2050?

A．Because the number of people will become much smaller.

B．Because there will be less face-to-face communication.

C．Because people won’t like making friends with each other.

D．Because people won’t communicate with each other much often.

2. The third paragraph mainly tells us        .

A．that computers will do all the things for human beings

B．how people will use computers to communicate with each other

C．that machines like computers and robots will help people a lot

D．how people will use robots to do the housework

3. According to the passage,which of the following will happen in 2050?

A．The relationship between people will be more important than that of today.

B．The way of spending holidays will be the same as that of today.

C．It won’t be difficult for people to travel to other planets.

D．Our environment will be much more polluted with a growing number of cars.

4. The underlined word “sanguine” in the last paragraph most probably means “        ”．

A．disappointed	B．surprised
C．curious	D．optimistic

【推荐3】A new study shows that increases in extreme winter weather in parts of the US are linked to quickened warming of the Arctic.

Over the past four decades, warming in the Arctic has been far more definite than that in the rest of the world and has caused a rapid decrease of summer sea ice. Heating in the Arctic has ultimately disturbed the circular pattern of winds known as the polar vortex (旋涡). As a result, it got stretched out of shape and slid southward off the pole. Scientists believe this vortex stretching process led to the deadly Texas cold wave in February this year.

“The polar vortex over the Arctic usually locks in cold air at the poles and does not easily move south. The stronger the winds, the more the air inside is kept, and the colder it gets,” explained lead researcher Dr. Judah Cohen, who’s a professor at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. “Melting ice in the Arctic and rising temperatures can disturb the Arctic vortex, making cold air no longer locked in the Arctic, but move some farther south.” The researchers say that their findings are based on both observations and modelling and they show a physical link between climate change in the Arctic, the stretching of the polar vortex and the impacts on ground.

The researchers believe their work could improve predictions about the beginning of extreme cold winter events. The research team also believes that their findings will help people understand that global warming is complex and perhaps let go of the idea that colder winters mean climate change isn’t happening. “In the past, these cold extremes over the US and Russia have been used to justify not reducing carbon, but there’s no longer any excuse not to start reducing emissions right away,” said Dr. Cohen.

1. What is paragraph 2 mainly about?

A．The explanation given by scientists.	B．The formation of Texas cold wave.
C．The decrease of summer sea ice.	D．The polar vortex’s being disturbed.

2. What is the function of polar vortex?

A．Preventing cold air from escaping.	B．Helping cold air move freely.
C．Accelerating the melting of ice.	D．Making the wind stronger.

3. What can be inferred from the last paragraph?

A．Global warming merely causes unnecessary fear.

B．Weather-gone-wild pattern is a fantasy.

C．Reducing emissions is a pressing matter.

D．There’s no longer any excuse not to start reducing emissions.

4. In which column of a website can the text probably be found?

A．Entertainment.

B．Tourism.

C．Education.

D．Environment.

【推荐1】Are you in trouble in looking for a holiday gift for your kids? You’re in the right place. Excellent books about space can inspire an interest in exploring the universe.

Margaret and the Moon Age range: 4-8 In Margaret and the Moon, Dean Robbins outlines the pioneering software engineer’s life, from the backyard of her childhood home, where she put forward a million questions about the night sky, to the hallways of NASA, where she led a team from MIT to develop the onboard flight software that would land the first men on the moon.

I am Neil Armstrong Age range：All ages In I am Neil Armstrong, the bestselling author Brad Meltzer shows kids how Neil Armstrong made it all the way to the moon. Meltzer begins the story with young Armstrong trying to climb to the top of a silver maple tree after falling and getting back up. He continued this spirit throughout his career.

Look Inside Space Age range: 3 and up For parents of young kids, Usbome’s prizewinning Look Inside Space is a must to share the history and wild technology of space exploration with starry-eyed kids. It explores the history of human spaceflight and the basics of stars and planets. It’s enjoyable to all space fans, but is especially good for pre-school and kindergarten-age kids.

Max Goes to the Space Station Age range: All ages Jeffrey Bennett’s tale about a dog called Max and his adventures to the International Space Station isn’t only an accurate look at what life in space is like. The book was actually sent into space and joined the station’s library in 2014 as part of the Story Time from Space project. It enables readers to learn all sorts of fun facts about space.

1. What is probably the major reason why the writer writes this passage?

A．To help parents arrange holidays for kids.

B．To inspire children’s interest in the universe.

C．To promote the books about space exploration.

D．To introduce some interesting space stories.

2. Which book can inspire readers not to give up?

A．Margaret and the Moon.	B．I am Neil Armstrong.
C．Look Inside Space.	D．Max Goes to the Space Station.

3. What is special for Max Goes to the Space Station?

A．It is suitable for kids of all ages.	B．It makes kids interested in a dog.
C．It is an accurate look at the space.	D．It has experienced space travel.

【推荐2】The Aviation Industry Corporation of China (AVIC), China’s leading aircraft maker, created the country’s first fully solar-powered drone (无人机). The large drone, Qimingxing 50, or Morning Star 50, took off at 5:50 pm on September 3rd, 2022, from an airport in Yulin of Shanxi Province and stayed in the air for 26 minutes before landing on the same runway. AVIC said that all systems of the unmanned plane functioned well on its first flight.

Powered by six electric motors with solar batteries, the drone is designed to conduct long-time operations in near space. Near space is that part of Earth’s atmosphere at altitudes of 20 to 100 kilometers. It is above the top altitudes of commercial airliners but below orbiting satellites.

Qimingxing 50, also called “quasi-satellite”, features high operational efficiency and eco-friendliness and will be tasked with high-altitude reconnaissance (侦察), forestry fire monitoring, atmospheric environmental inspection, aerial mapping, communication signal relay and other operations.

“Thanks to its capability to conduct very long endurance flights in near space, the drone can essentially become a substitute for satellites,” a Chinese aerospace expert said. Satellite services are not always available due to the limited number of satellites and relatively fixed schedules of overhead passes. In time-sensitive missions, near-space drones can offset these disadvantages, the expert said, noting that satellite services could also be damaged in wartime, so near-space drones could replace them in this occasion.

The successful first flight of the Qimingxing-50 lays a solid foundation for the development of key technologies in the country’s new energy field, the composite (复合的) material field, which will enhance China’s ability to perform tasks in near space and over far oceans. AVIC will seize the opportunity to increase investment and speed up the development of large solar-powered unmanned aircraft.

1. What do we know about Qimingxing 50?

A．It is China’s first fully solar-powered drone.

B．It took off at 5:50 pm on December 3rd, 2022.

C．It is powered by sixteen electric motors with solar batteries.

D．It stayed in the air for 226 minutes before landing on the same runway.

2. What are the functions of Qimingxing 50?
a. forestry fire monitoring
b. high-altitude reconnaissance
c. at altitudes of 20 to 100 meters
d. atmospheric environmental inspection

A．a, b, c

B．b, c, d

C．a, c, d

D．a, b, d

3. What does the underlined word “foundation” mean in the last paragraph?

A．strength.

B．basis.

C．advantage.

D．inspiration.

4. What can we infer about the drone?

A．It will replace satellites.

B．It can be used as commercial airliners.

C．It can fly above the top altitude of orbiting satellites.

D．It may be used to take on certain missions in wartime.

【推荐3】The fish eggs, all 200 of them, were settled and ready to go. The ground crew had counted the eggs carefully, and sealed them tightly within a plate filled precisely to the edge with seawater.

The countdown, and then—ignition (点火)! For two full minutes, the precious eggs suffered a violent shaking as the rocket’s engines exploded to life, and then rise to the heavens. These eggs were on their way to low Earth orbit. Next stop: the moon.

Well, they haven’t actually left yet. But after a recent simulation (模拟) designed to re-create the intense shaking of a typical takeoff, researchers in France found that the eggs survived. It’s a crucial discovery in the progress of the Lunar Hatch, a program that aims to determine whether astronauts could successfully raise fish on a future moon base.

Finally, Cyrille Przybyla, an aquaculture (水产养殖) researcher at the French Research Institute for Exploitation of the Sea who led the research, dreams of designing a lunar fish farm that uses water already on the moon to help feed residents of the future Moon Village set to be established by the European Space Agency (ESA).

Przybyla’s hope is to offer lunar residents fresh, inviting, protein-rich fish—not just packets of freeze-dried food. “I proposed the idea to send eggs, not fish, because eggs are very strong,” he says.

Besides, Przybyla suggests there will be other benefits for astronauts who may one day find themselves raising animals in space. “From the psychological point of view, it’s better to have a reminder of Earth–you have a garden; you have a tank with fish,” he says.

Designing self-contained and self-supporting systems for food production beyond Earth will be crucial for future space exploration programs, says Luke Roberson, a researcher at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. And he says Przybyla’s study is “a great first step” toward showing that aquaculture is a practical part of that future.

1. What is Paragraph 2 about?

A．An imagination.

B．An experience.

C．An experiment.

D．An adventure.

2. Why do the researchers want to send the eggs to the moon?

A．To offer eggs to astronauts as food.	B．To test whether the eggs are strong.
C．To promote aquaculture on the earth.	D．To see the possibility of raising fish on the moon.

3. What’s the psychological advantage of raising animals in space?

A．It can get rid of loneliness.	B．It diversifies the space food.
C．It gives astronauts something to do.	D．It helps astronauts remember the Earth.

4. What’s Luke Roberson’s attitude to the plan to raise fish on the moon?

A．Doubtful.

B．Favorable.

C．Disapproving.

D．Neutral.