I think there are several reasons that suggest developing robots is a waste of money.
In San Diego recently $325,000 was spent on inventing a robotic squirrel to do some scientific experiments. The research proved that squirrels are able to scare away snakes by wagging (摇动) their tails. Do you need a robotic squirrel to work this out?
What about AIBO, a robotic pet, developed in Japan? In Japanese aibou means “buddy”. These pets have been developed at huge cost mainly to provide entertainment. They've been used in movies and music videos. Universities have used them for educational purposes. However, in 2006 the company stopped producing these robotic pets in order to save money. Was it worth a lot of money?
Then there’s NAO, a robot which has been developed by a French company. Its main purpose is to make life easier for humans. It speaks 19 languages and has its own personality. It can tell children a story, help in the classroom or the home, or act as a companion to those people who need someone to be with. A fully developed one costs $16,000. Is that value for money? Who can afford it anyway?
There may be good reasons why it is worth developing robots, but so far I haven’t thought of any.
1. What does the underlined word “companion” in Paragraph 4 mean in Chinese?| A．公司 | B．机构 | C．对手 | D．伙伴 |
| A．The robotic squirrel is needed by every scientist to do some research. |
| B．AIBO wasn’t made any more because it only provided entertainment. |
| C．A fully developed NAO may tell kids stories in different languages. |
| D．All the three types of robots used to be produced at a very low cost. |
| A．It can help bring people a lot of fun. | B．It has advantages in many ways. |
| C．It may be useful but costs too much. | D．It is worth a great deal of money. |
相似题推荐
【推荐1】ChatGPT is a smart AI chatbot (聊天机器人) tool. It is developed by the US company OpenAI. It is very popular all over the world. It is reported that over 89 percent of the students have used ChatGPT to help with their homework. You can ask it to write stories and e-mails, translate languages, and answer all kinds of questions.
Some schools in the US, Australia and France don’t use ChatGPT. They are afraid that ChatGPT could make it easier for students to cheat on homework. Some people also worry that ChatGPT could be used to give wrong information.
However, not all schools say “no” to ChatGPT. Some Canadian schools are making decisions on its use for both students and teachers. They will not stop the use of ChatGPT. Bhaskar Vira, a teacher at the school in Cambridge, said that not using ChatGPT is not clever. “We have to know that people will get used to an AI tool in our learning, teaching and examinations,” he told a school newspaper.
1. ChatGPT was developed by ________.| A．Canada | B．the UK | C．the US | D．China |
| A．ChatGPT can fly kites. |
| B．ChatGPT can help with homework. |
| C．All schools in France use ChatGPT. |
| D．Over 98% of the students have used ChatGPT to help with their homework. |
| A．A science report. | B．A biography. |
| C．An ad. | D．A story book. |
【推荐2】①Imagine that you are trying to run through a field, but there are a lot of things in your way and you have to slow down to get through. What can you do? Clean the field so that you can run as fast as you want.
②That is how electricity goes through a superconductor (超导体). While in normal conductors the electrons (电子) may come across many other particles (粒子), they have a clear path in a superconductor. This means the electricity can travel with no resistance (电阻) in a superconductor and wastes no energy.
③The first superconductor was discovered in 1911 by Dutch scientist Heike Onnes. He found that mercury (汞) cooled to -269℃ would lose all resistance to electricity. Since then, scientists have tried to use superconductors in different areas.
④But even today the superconductor still only works when the temperature is very low. It means the price is high and it cannot be widely used. The new study, done by scientists from the University of Rochester, created the superconductor with hydrogen (氢) and lutetium (镥) at 5℃. However, it still needs a pressure of about 10,000 times that of Earth’s atmosphere (大气层) and costs much to produce.
⑤Recently, superconductors became one of the most popular subjects for discussion. That’s because a team of scientists from the Republic of Korea said they created a superconductor that can work at room temperature.
⑥If that’s true, it could become one of the greatest scientific achievements (成就) of the 21st century. A lot of energy and money can be saved with this new material produced and used in the city life. The material could also lead to the development in faster computers, AI and other areas that need fast computing.
⑦But it’s still too early to claim (宣称) superconductor at room temperature is found, because the methods they used haven’t not been made public yet. Of course, we wish the ROK team success and we believe that superconductors at room temperature can be realized one day, sooner or later.
1. The underlined “it” in Paragraph 4 refers to _______.| A．the University of Rochester, US | B．the new study done by scientists |
| C．the superconductor created in the new study | D．the first superconductor discovered in 1911 |
| A．It can be more widely used as it’s easier and cheaper to produce. |
| B．It is produced with a new material at room temperature. |
| C．It has been found by the ROK team and widely used now. |
| D．It can lead to the development in fast computing. |
| A．There is no resistance in a normal conductor when electricity goes through it. |
| B．There is no chance for scientists to put the first superconductor into use. |
| C．It’s a lie that the ROK team has created the superconductor at room temperature. |
| D．It’s possible for scientists to make the superconductor at room temperature. |
| A．①②/③④/⑤/⑥⑦ | B．①②/③④/⑤⑥/⑦ | C．①/②③④/⑤/⑥⑦ | D．①/②③④/⑤⑥/⑦ |
We all know the sun is important. It makes life on our planet possible. But how does the sun do that? It’s the sun’s energy.
Energy from the sun is called solar energy（太阳能）. It comes in the form of light or heat. People have used solar energy for thousands of years. The sun’s energy can be used to heat water and even food. If you own a magnifying glass, your parents have probably warned you not to leave it in the sun. Solar energy can actually make the magnifying glass burn objects underneath it causing a fire. This type of energy from the sun is called solar thermal（热的）energy.
We can also turn the sun’s light into electricity. This is done with solar panels（板）. Solar panels are made up of a material called silicon（硅）. The silicon is heated and formed into very thin wafers（晶片）. When the sunlight hits the solar panel, the electrons in the silicon move and flow through wires（电线）. Using this technology, we can run a calculator and even power cars.
But what happens on cloudy days? The electrons in the silicon will stop moving, which means the electricity can’t flow. But this doesn’t mean that solar energy can only be used on sunny days. People can use the batteries（电池）which are attached to（附着于）solar panels to store the electricity. So the stored electricity can be used to power cars at night or on cloudy days.
Did you know that solar energy is not as expensive as it used to be? In fact, in the last few years, solar panels have become much more affordable for people to use. Since the sun gives off more energy in one second than people have used, imagine what we could do if we used the sun’s energy to power our planet.
1. A magnifying glass can make objects look ________.| A．smaller | B．bigger | C．more beautiful | D．further |
| A．How to use solar thermal energy. |
| B．How to power our planet. |
| C．How to store electricity with batteries. |
| D．How to turn sunlight into electricity with solar panels. |
| A．thin wafers | B．the moonlight | C．solar thermal energy | D．the stored electricity |
| A．Solar panels are made up of silicon. | B．Solar energy can be used for heating food. |
| C．It costs more to use solar energy than before. | D．People have used solar energy for thousands of years. |
Some people think that singing can lift our spirits ( 情 绪 ), while some other people don’t think so．They don’t like singing and they think singing can never make them happy．I do think singing can make us feel good, and it can lift our spirits．Let me tell you more about that．
Some researchers (研究者) once did some surveys and proved it．The surveys show that singing can bring a lot of health benefits (益处)．If you sing with your friends, the effects may be even better．
John Lennon was once a teacher of Vocal Performance (声乐表演) at Emporia State University．He says, “Singing is an inborn (天生的) need．Babies sing to themselves and they seem so happy．Like babies, when we sing, we feel so good and singing makes us feel even better．I like singing and I am happy every day．”
Music is a part of human nature．And singing is a form of expression that can be understood by everyone．Some people say that music is like a kind of language．The language can show people’s opinions and attitudes(态度) to their life．Some songs can cheer people up when they are in trouble．Some songs can make people happy and excited．That’s why the TV show The Voice of China is so popular with people．
1. According to some surveys, singing can bring __________．
| A．health benefits |
| B．health problems |
| C．happiness and success |
| D．some trouble |
| A．运动 |
| B．表情 |
| C．表达 |
| D．放松 |
| A．all the singers are good at singing and dancing |
| B．songs make people happy and excited |
| C．all the singers look nice in cool clothes |
| D．songs are written by the singers themselves |
| A．All people think singing can lift our spirits． |
| B．Some people don’t like singing and don’t think music can make them happy． |
| C．If you sing in a group, there will be no benefits． |
| D．No babies ever sing to themselves． |
A Chinese man called Cai Lun invented(发明) paper almost 2,000 years ago. He made it from wood. He took the wood from trees and made it into paper. He then put these pieces of paper together and made them into a book. Now paper still comes from trees. We use a lot of paper every day. If we keep on wasting（浪费）so much paper, there will not be any trees left on the earth. If there are no trees, there will be no paper. Every day, people throw away about 2,800 tons(吨) of paper in our city. It takes 17 trees to make one ton of paper.This means that we are cutting nearly 48,000 trees every day. Since it takes more than 10 years for a tree to grow, we must start using less paper now. If we don't, we will not have enough time to grow more trees to take the place of those we use for paper.
So how can we save paper? We can use both sides of every piece of paper, especially when we are making notes. We can choose drinks in bottles instead of those in paper packets. We can also use cotton handkerchiefs (手帕) and not paper ones. When we go shopping, we can use fewer paper bags. If the shop assistant gives us a paper bag, we can save it and reuse it later.
Everyone can help to save paper. If we all think carefully, we can help protect(保护) trees. But we should do it now , before it is too late.
1. When he was in China, Marco Polo_________.
| A．discovered Cai Lun invented paper | B．learned to make paper |
| C．saw many wonderful things | D．read a lot of books |
| A．17th | B．15th | C．13th | D．7th |
| A．1,700 | B．2,000 | C．2,800 | D．48,000 |
| A．To use both sides of every piece of paper. |
| B．To use the paper bags from shops more than once. |
| C．To use cotton handkerchiefs instead of paper ones. |
| D．To grow more trees. |
| A．Saving Paper | B．The History of Paper |
| C．Cotton Handkerchiefs Back Again | D．Cai Lun, the Great Inventor |
【推荐3】One of my least favorite chores is cleaning my bedroom, but I have to do it. If my bedroom is untidy, I find it hard to relax and impossible to do any work! My mom always says “ a tidy home means a tidy mind”, and I think this is true. If everything is a mess, you just can’t think clearly.
Studies show that people are usually more successful if they work, study, or live in a clean and tidy environment. A study showed that a high percentage (百分率) of children with bad behavior (行为，举止) come from messy houses. Children who grow up in dirty houses tend to be unhealthy and they fall sick more often too. This is why people with tidier homes are often healthier and more successful. My mom is a good example of this. She makes sure our home is always very clean and comfortable, so my sister and I hardly ever fall sick. Everyone loves her and she is very successful at her job in a bank.
I am not a naturally (天生的) tidy person. I sometimes throw my clothes on the floor because I am too tired to put them away, and I often leave rubbish on my desk. It is not easy to keep things clean all the time, but I am trying to develop the habit of tidying up every day. Maybe one day I will be as tidy and successful as my mom!
1. The writer hates to do chores but she has to do them because ________.| A．her mother makes her do them | B．she wants to help her mother |
| C．she can’t relax or work if her room is untidy | D．she thinks doing chores is good exercise |
| A．If everything is a mess, you can’t think clearly. |
| B．The tidier your home is, the cleverer you are. |
| C．A person with a tidy home usually has a healthy lifestyle. |
| D．A smart person’s home is always clean and comfortable. |
| A．No kids like to live in messy homes with their parents. |
| B．A lot of children from messy homes have bad behavior. |
| C．Parents and kids should keep the house clean and tidy together. |
| D．People with tidier homes are healthier and more successful. |
| A．She is a naturally tidy person. |
| B．She wants to be like her mother. |
| C．She is lazy sometimes but she is trying to be tidy. |
| D．She thinks tidying up every day is a good habit. |
The Holiday Spot
| The Chinese New Year is the most important traditional holiday in China. The Holiday Spot brings you recipes for the most popular dishes. Check these out and make them at home for your friends and family. Happy Chinese New Year! | |||
Please click here to know about…
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Click for the recipes of your choice: | |||
| Chinese Recipe Videos | |||
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2. The writer tells us about eating out during Chinese New Year.
3. You can click for the recipes of dumplings.
4. We can watch the English recipe videos to learn Chinese beef noodles.
5. We know the Chinese New Year food in more than 5 ways according to the passage.
Both my father and mother are teachers. They love their work. They work very hard.
We have a house with a garden. The house is big and nice. The garden is not big but nice. There are some flowers and small trees in it. We often play games there. We all like our house and garden.
1. Jane is from .
| A．America | B．Canada |
| C．Japan | D．England |
| A．four | B．one |
| C．two | D．three |
| A．King | B．John |
| C．John King | D．King John |
| A．a worker | B．a teacher |
| C．a student | D．a doctor |
| A．The house is big | B．The house is nice |
| C．The house has a garden | D．A, B and C are all OK |
There are all kinds of animals . Here are some animals that you can see in many zoos.
Koalas may look like teddy bears, but they are not bears at all. They come from Australia. They are quiet, friendly and cute. Children like koalas. Koalas like to have trees as their homes.
Giraffes are good zoo animals. They come from Africa. They are interesting and exciting. They need a big home at the zoo.
Lions are beautiful and dangerous animals. They are also from Africa. They are exciting to watch, but they are scary, too. They are not cute.
Dolphins are good for some zoos. They need a lot of water for their homes. They are very smart and interesting.
Elephants are exciting animals from Africa. They are friendly. They need a swimming pool.
Tigers are beautiful animals. They come from India and China. They are exciting, and scary, too. They need a place to run.
1. Koalas come from______________.
| A．India | B．China |
| C．Africa | D．Australia |
| A．Koalas. | B．Giraffes. |
| C．Lions. | D．Dolphins. |
| A．Exciting. | B．Cute. |
| C．Beautiful. | D．Scary. |
| A．Three. | B．Four. |
| C．Five. | D．Six. |
| A．Giraffes are from Africa. |
| B．Tigers are beautiful, exciting and scary. |
| C．Koalas like in trees. |
| D．Elephants need a place to run. |
【推荐1】Hobbies are also a way of making friends. Starting a new school term is always exciting. It is a chance to see your friends again. But the most exciting of all is that the new term is a chance to take up new hobbies. It is common in Britain for students to take up new hobbies after the Christmas holidays.
Most schools offer different kinds of hobby classes. Students take them in their free periods or after school. You have to pay for some classes and other classes are free. For example, I once took a free Wednesday evening gymnastics class my school offered. But when I learnt how to play the drums, my parents had to pay for the lessons.
The most popular extra classes at my school were piano lessons and drama club. Both classes offered exams that students could take. Students with many hobbies sometimes felt more stressed than those without any. But the students with hobbies left school with many extra skills.
I haven't continued any of the hobbies I began at school. But I have never regretted taking them. My best friend today is someone I met in my gymnastics class.
1. For the UK kids, the new term is a chance to ________.| A．make a New Year's decision | B．take up new hobbies |
| C．relax and have fun | D．start a new year |
| A．From morning to afternoon. | B．In their school time. |
| C．In their spare time. | D．On Wednesday evening. |
| A．it is helpful for you to learn extra skills | B．it is not good for you to learn extra skills |
| C．you're the best if you take hobby classes | D．the more hobbies you have, the better you are |
| A．paid for her gymnastics classes | B．regrets taking hobby lessons |
| C．continues with her childhood hobbies today | D．met her best friend in hobby classes |
| A．Never give up your hobbies | B．Everyone should have a hobby |
| C．Hobbies play an important role in our life | D．Taking up new hobbies is also a way to make friends |
【推荐2】An English teacher has introduced a play to her class.
Characters:
Benny, student, 14 years old
Jerry, student, 15 years old
Susie, student, 14 years old
Grace, student, 14 years old
Time: One Sunday afternoon.
Place: By the river near their houses.
(The four teenagers have just finished the picnic. They are tidying up.)
Benny: Wow! That was a great picnic. I’m so full that I can hardly move.
Grace: That’s no excuse for not tidying up, Benny. Come over here and help me pack(包装) up the leftover food. Jerry, can you put out the fire, please? And clean up the place.
Jerry: (Speaking unhappily to himself.) How can I always get the dirty and difficult jobs? It’s not fair.
(Jerry throws a bit of water on the fire. Then he picks up the ashes (灰烬) with an old newspaper and wants to throw them into the long grass.)
Susie: (Sounding surprised) What are you doing, Jerry? That’s d....
Jerry: Whoops ... the paper has caught fire.
Susie: And the grass ... Benny, Grace, help! Help!
(Benny and Grace come over quickly. They help put out the fire completely.)
Jerry: Oh, no. Oh, no! What have I done?
Grace: You know that we should do everything carefully, don’t you?
Jerry: (With his head in his hands.) Yes. What have I done? What have I done?
1. How does Jerry feel about his jobs?
| A．Clean and easy. | B．Dirty and difficult. |
| C．Great and interesting. | D．Helpful and careful. |
| A．dirty | B．difficult | C．different | D．dangerous |
| A．They are tidying up after they have had the picnic. |
| B．They are reading the play after their teacher has introduced it. |
| C．They are having a picnic together after they have put out the fire. |
| D．They are helping put out the fire after they have had the leftover food. |
【推荐3】In Amsterdam, the capital of Holland, there is a special restaurant. Why is it special? Because some children run it. The manager, cooks, cashiers, waiters, waitresses and other members are all children from 6 to 12 years old. They do all the work in the restaurant. All the children here like their work.
This restaurant started in 1983 by a woman cook. She wanted to give the children chances to learn something useful for life. And now she is the only adult there, but her job is just to take care of the children.
The restaurant is welcomed almost by everyone. There are only 20 seats in it. It is always full. So, if you want to eat there, you should book a table ahead of time. The price of a meal is $4 for each adult, but much cheaper for a child. It is open only on Saturday evenings and Sunday afternoons because all the children should go to school first and finish their homework.
1. Who can be the member of the restaurant?| A．Daniel, a boy in grade 2 in primary school | B．Sandy, a 17-year old girl |
| C．Sam, a university student | D．Sandy's elder sister |
| A．跑步 | B．监督 | C．经营 | D．做工 |
| A．She wanted to make more money. |
| B．She wanted to work there. |
| C．She wanted the children to learn something useful for life. |
| D．She wanted to take care of the children. |
| A．All the members of the restaurant are children. | B．The children do all the work themselves. |
| C．The restaurant is open every day. | D．You can enjoy the food there whenever you want. |
| A．$6. | B．$8. | C．More than $12. | D．No more than$ 12. |
