【推荐1】They go up and they go down. They take people from one floor of a building to the exact same spot on another floor. A new technology will break elevators free from their vertical (垂直的) prisons, allowing them to move side to side, at an angle (角度), even go outside into a city. German company Thyssenkrupp has developed a new kind of elevator that uses maglev (磁悬浮) technology to move elevator cabins. Called Multi, these elevators are no longer limited to a single vertical path.

A funny thing happens when elevators can go anywhere. Tall buildings, which are designed to work around elevators, can start taking on different shapes. They can go wide, add towers or go in unusual directions, and make room for green spaces that otherwise would have been an inconvenience. A single elevator can run from the east side of the first floor to the far west side of the 30th, no transferring or walking necessary. It gets even more interesting when an elevator leaves the building. Patrick Bass, Thyssenkrupp’s North America CEO, has worked in the elevator industry for 26 years. He thinks these elevators will create new transportation networks to support the cities of the future. As more people go into cities, there’s a renewed interest in creating energy efficient spaces. Moving people around quickly is a huge part of that.

He imagines Multi working perfectly with other Thyssenkrupp technology like the Accel moving walkway. Accel, which also uses maglev technology, speeds up after you step on and can go twice the speed of a regular moving walkway. It was the first use of maglev technology outside of a train. The Accel is already in use in some cities now.

1. Compared with traditional elevators, Multi can __________.

A．go more smoothly	B．go in any directions
C．go up and down freely	D．go directly from floor to floor

2. What will happen to buildings with Multi?

A．They will hold more people.

B．They will become much higher.

C．They will be in different shapes.

D．They will be connected to one another.

3. In what way can Multi support cities of the future?

A．They save space in cities.

B．They help avoid the rush hours.

C．They help people save money.

D．They help move people around quickly.

4. Why is the Accel mentioned in the last paragraph?

A．To show how Multi works.

B．To show the importance of the Accel.

C．To tell us other products by Thyssenkrupp.

D．To explain the wide use of maglev technology.

【推荐2】阅读表达

Earthquake rescue robots have experienced their final tests in Beijing. Their designers say with these robots, rescuers will be able to buy more time to save lives during an earthquake.

This robot looking like a helicopter, is called the detector-bot. It’s about 4 meters long, and it took about 4 years to develop the model. Its main functions are to collect information from the air, and send goods of up to 30 kilos to people trapped by an earthquake.

This robot has a high definition 360-degree panoramic camera. It can work day and night and will also be able to send the latest pictures from the quake area.

Dr. Qi Juntong said, “The most important feature of this robot is that it doesn’t need a distant control. We just set the destination information on it, and then it takes off, and lands by itself. It flies as high as 3,000 meters, and as fast as 100 kilometers per hour.”

This robot has a different function — it can change as the environment changes. Its main job is to search for any signal of life in places where human rescuers are unable to go.

As well as a detector that finds victims and detects poisonous gas, a camera is placed in the 40-centimeter-long robot, which can work in the dark.

Another use for the rescuers is the supply-bot. With its 10-meter-long pipe, people who are trapped in the ruins will be able to get supplies including oxygen and liquids.

Experts have said that the robots will enter production, and serve as part of the national earthquake rescue team as soon as next years.

1. What are the rescue robot’s main functions?
___________________________________________________________________
2. How is the robot is different from the other robots?
___________________________________________________________________
3. Please decide which part is false in the following statement, then underline it and explain why.
Earthquake rescue robots have experienced their final tests in Beijing and have served to save lives during an earthquake.
___________________________________________________________________
4. Explain how robots can be used in a different field in our life. (about 40 words)
___________________________________________________________________

【推荐3】When Param Jaggi was five years old, he had a passion to take things apart to see what was inside. He started with toys and even broke a computer, which made his parents not too pleased. As he got older, he shifted from breaking things to building things, which greatly comforted his parents. In middle school, he started working on projects in his kitchen laboratory, and his first project was making biofuels.

Although Jaggi’s parents initially thought his experiments were just a boyhood fancy, he remained determined to make a difference to the environment. Eventually, his parents came around and started supporting his dreams. Jaggi’s interest continued as he grew up, but he focused more on solving real problems, especially those related to the environment.

At 17, Jaggi went beyond his school projects and co-founded Ecoviate, a company that uses technology to solve everyday energy and environmental problems. He planned to transform people’s idea that going green is expensive, by making available a series of affordable products that are easy to use. Through Ecoviate, he designed products that could contribute to a greener future. One of his notable inventions was the “CO2ube”, a device that could reduce carbon emissions, and it’s available to many people at low prices.

Young Jaggi, now a third-grade college student studying engineering and economics, has become a famous eco-innovator and his company is developing promisingly. However, Jaggi’s vision to save the environment goes beyond creating products. He plans to launch an online platform through Ecoviate, which will encourage young students interested in science and technology to get actively involved in innovation and invention. Students can submit a science project online, and talk about the help that they need to make the project a reality.

1. What can we learn about Jaggi?

A．He dreamed to be an engineer.	B．He was curious by nature.
C．He always annoyed his parents.	D．He was addicted to playing toys.

2. Which of the following can best replace the underlined part “came around” in Paragraph 2?

A．Walked around.	B．Paid a visit.
C．Changed their minds.	D．Become conscious.

3. What drove Jaggi to develop affordable and user-friendly products?

A．His love for greener devices.	B．His pursuit of academic career.
C．His hope to boost green industry.	D．His desire to make a difference.

4. Why does Jaggie plan to launch an online platform?

A．To empower young inventors.	B．To promote smart products.
C．To provide eco-themed courses.	D．To offer environmentalists funds.

【推荐1】A company Watergen has created a machine that can produce clean and drinkable water out of air. The device, called GENNY, is small enough to be used in a home or office but can produce up to 30 liters of water a day.

GENNY takes air in and passes through a filter (过滤器) to remove dust and dirt. The filter is powerful enough to work with high air pollution. The air is directed through GENIUS, a heating and cooling process which causes water in the air to condense(凝结). This water is then passed through several more filters and minerals are added to improve the flavor of the water. Finally, the water is stored in a tank to keep it fresh. Therefore, the water produced by GENNY is often of a higher quality than water running through filtration systems attached to the city’s water lines.

The technology of GENIUS is much better than other technologies that produce water from air. It produces four to five times more water per kilowatt-hour. Watergen has other products that use this same technology on a larger scale, the largest of which can produce up to 5,000 liters of water per day.

As an added bonus, during the water production process, GENNY can send out clean air which is healthier for people to breathe.

At the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, GENNY was named the Energy Efficient Product of the Year. The award series recognize the world’s top high-tech home products.

Last year, Watergen’s large-scale products were donated to authorities in Brazil, Vietnam and India for people to use. They also assisted rescue and recovery efforts during the 2018 California wildfires and provided clean and safe water for the residents of Texas and Florida due to the result of the destruction caused by hurricanes Harvey and Irma.

1. What do we know about GENNY?

A．The water is stored in GENIUS.

B．GENNY can be used to clean rivers.

C．GENIUS is a heating and cooling process.

D．The water produced by GENNY is more nutritious.

2. What can GENNY do besides producing clean and drinkable water out of air?

A．It can absorb dirty air.	B．It can give off clean air.
C．It can blow off polluted air.	D．It can identify the quality of air.

3. In what way is the technology of GENIUS better than other technologies?

A．It can make water taste much better.

B．It can keep water fresh for a longer time.

C．It can kill harmful bacteria more efficiently.

D．It can produce much more water per kilowatt-hour.

4. What is the main idea of the last paragraph?

A．The practical use of Watergen’s products.

B．The characteristics of Watergen’s products.

C．The disadvantages of Watergen’s products.

D．The market response to Watergen’s products.

【推荐2】Mr Guo is a teacher from Xi’an. He asked his students to hand in their homework through a QR code (二维码). “We spent an hour or two in class learning how to generate (使产生)the codes, and in the end everything gets easier, ” said Guo. “When students finish the homework, they keep it on WeChat (微信). Then, each student makes his own QR code and gives it to me. So I can check their work everywhere using my computer or telephone. ”

The QR codes can be sent to Mr Guo by email, QQ and WeChat. When Guo scans (扫描) his students’ QR codes, their homework appears on his phone. He finds that their homework becomes more creative (创新的), with many pictures, music and even videos.

Guo’s students like the new way and think it is interesting. “We are living in the information age. Many students like to work with computers, which makes learning more fun,” said Tingting, a student of Guo’s.

“The paper is not easy to keep, but the code is easy to keep and share,” Guo said. “It is worth trying to use new technology in education. Education itself is a kind of creation. I don’t want my students to fall behind the times.”

However, some parents are worried. They are afraid that their children will spend too much time on computers and less time communicating with teachers. But in fact, it’s unnecessary. Students still need to look up information in books and write it down when they do their homework. They only use the code when they hand in their homework, which doesn’t take them too much time. Also for teachers, it allows them to check the students’ work at any time. And it’s also an easy way to share homework with other students.

1. According to the passage, students can keep their homework on 　　　　.

A．WeChat	B．QQ
C．email	D．blog(博客)

2. Guo’s students think the new way is 　　　　.

A．strange	B．boring
C．interesting	D．unnecessary

3. What does “It” in paragraph 4 refer to(指代)?

A．The paper is not easy to keep.

B．Keeping and sharing the code easily.

C．Trying to use new technology in education.

D．Education itself is a kind of creation.

4. Some parents are worried, because they think their children will 　　　　.

A．talk with teachers face to face

B．spend too much time on computers or phones

C．not like the new way of handing in homework

D．find the QR codes too difficult to use

5. What’s the main idea of the passage?

A．Teachers needn’t check homework any more.

B．Students needn’t hand in homework any more.

C．Using QR codes makes checking homework easier.

D．Some parents are worried about their children.

【推荐2】Editor’s note: An increasing number of Chinese people, especially the young, are more willing to celebrate Western festivals. Should we celebrate foreign festivals? Forum (论坛) readers share their opinions. You’re welcome to add yours.

Dinah (China)

I enjoy the happy atmosphere of both Chinese and Western festivals. As long as it is meaningful for me, I will celebrate it with my boyfriend, and my parents! I like Western festivals and often celebrate them without even knowing the origins of them. Why? Because what I really appreciate is just the happy atmosphere.

SharkMinnow (Canada)

Western Festivals are more like parties or games for some Chinese. Also, spending money = good for economy. Most Chinese don’t take Western festivals as seriously as their own. It’s like a game or party in my eyes. A way to blow off steam and have fun (and spend money).

Travis (UK)

As an Englishman teaching here in China for two years, my friends have got used to, and enjoy when I celebrate my festivals. My school also likes it as well, although this year they asked me not to scare the teachers so much on Halloween. My Chinese friends enjoy taking part in my festivals, as they also learn more about my culture, and the history that goes with it…

Leesinchina (US)

Cherish your own festivals. It would be a pity if the Chinese accepted these Western days — first, because they have absolutely nothing to do with traditional Chinese culture. Second, they are a big trick by the big stores to get more money out of you. Stick to your own festivals — they actually mean something to you — rather than following western customs for no good reason.

1. What matters most according to Dinah?

A．The atmosphere when celebrating festivals.

B．The people with whom to celebrate festivals.

C．Celebrating Chinese festivals with her family.

D．Celebrating Western festivals in a good atmosphere.

2. What’s the attitude of readers 2 and 4 towards celebrating Western festivals?

A．Optimistic.

B．Indifferent.

C．Neutral.

D．Negative.

3. In which of the following can this text be originally found?

A．A newspaper.

B．A debate.

C．A website.

D．A text book.

【推荐3】Unhealthy health care bills, long emergency-room waits and inability to find a primary care   physician just scratch the surface of the problems that patients face daily.

Primary care should be the backbone of any health care system. Countries with appropriate primary care resources score highly when it comes to health outcomes and costs. The U.S. takes the opposite approach by emphasizing the specialists rather than the primary care physician.

A recent study analyzed the providers who treat Medicare Beneficiaries(老年医保受惠人）. The startling finding was that the average Medicare patient saw a total of seven doctors --- two primary care physicians and five specialists --- in a given year. Contrary to popular belief, the more physicians taking care of you don't guarantee better care. Actually increasing breakup of care results in a corresponding rise in costs and medical errors.

How did we let primary care slip so far? The key is how doctors are paid. Most physicians are paid whenever they perform a medical service. The more a physician does, regardless of quality or outcome, the better he's reimbursed（ 返还费用）. Moreover, the amount of a physician receives leans heavily toward medical or surgical procedures. A specialist who performs a procedure in a 30-minute visit can be paid three times more than a primary care physician using that same 30 minutes to discuss a patient's disease. Combine this fact with annual government threats to indiscriminately cut reimbursements, physicians are faced with no choice but to increase quantity to boost income.

Primary care physicians who refuse to compromise quality are either driven out of business or to cash-only practices, further contributing to the decline of primary care.

Medical students are not blind to this scenario. They see how heavily the reimbursement deck is stacked against primary care. The recent numbers show that since 1997, newly graduated U.S. medical students who choose primary care as a career have declined by 50%. This trend results in emergency rooms being overwhelmed with patients without regular doctors.

How do we fix this problem?

It starts with reforming the physician reimbursement system. Remove the pressure for primary care physicians to squeeze in more patients per hour, and reward them for optimally managing their diseases and practicing evidence-based medicine. Make primary care more attractive food to medical students by forgiving students loans for those who choose primary care as a career and harmonizing the marked difference between specialist and primary care physician salaries.

We’re at the point where primary care is needed more than ever. Within a few years, the first wave of 76 million Baby Boomers will become qualified for Medicare. Patients older than 85, who need chronic care most, will rise by 50% this decade.

Who will be there to treat   them？

1. The author’s chief concern about the current U.S. health care system is_____.

A．the inadequate training of physicians	B．the declining number of doctors
C．the ever-rising health care costs	D．the shrinking primary care resources

2. We learn from the passage that people tend to believe that     .

A．the more costly the medicine, the more effective the cure

B．seeing more doctors may result in more diagnostic errors

C．visiting doctors on a regular basis ensures good health

D．the more doctors taking care of a patient, the better

3. Why do many new medical graduates refuse to choose primary care as their career?

A．They find the need for primary care declining.

B．The current system works against primary care.

C．Primary care physicians command less respect.

D．They think working in an emergency room tedious.

4. What suggestions does the author give in order to provide better health care?

A．Bridge the salary gap between specialists and primary care physicians.

B．Extend primary care to patients with chronic diseases.

C．Recruit more medical students by offering them loans.

D．Reduce the tuition of students who choose primary care as their major.