Improvements in technology often happen overnight. Some gadgets get smaller and faster. Others are replaced (代替) by newer things like smartphones. They can do hundreds of things. Here are some old gadgets that people used to use.
①________
Do you have a landline at home? These are phones that people plug (插入) into their living room walls. Mobile phones didn’t use to be so common at that time, so most families had a landline. But landlines only worked at home. What did people do when they were outside and needed to call someone? They looked for a pay phone! Then, most people had their own mobile phones and many homes no longer had landlines.
②________
People today store plenty of information online, or on SD cards. But in the 1980s and 1990s, people used to use floppy disks. The first floppy disks were large, expensive, and not very useful — each disk could store just 175 KB of information! Later, floppy disks got smaller and better. But even the best ones could only hold 1.44 MB. You would need three or four disks just for one song, and about 22,000 disks to match the storage (储存空间) available on a 32 GB phone!
③________
It’s easy to take photos today. People often have thousands just on their phones! But photos used to be expensive, and people took fewer of them. To take a photo, you had to buy a roll of film. This allowed you to take about 30 photos. After finishing the roll, you left it at a shop. The shop developed the photos to make them be seen, which you could collect after a few days.
Technology changes all the time, and the gadgets we use today will one day be old. What do you think will be next to disappear?
1. What does the underlined word “gadgets” mean in Paragraph 1?| A．Toys. | B．Tools. | C．Games. | D．Phones. |
a. Goodbye Disks b. Music to My Ears c. Picture This d. Call Me e. Film Development
| A．①-d, ②-b, ③-e | B．①-d, ②-a, ③-c | C．①-c, ②-a, ③-b | D．①-c, ②-b, ③-e |
| A．They could store much. | B．They were very useful. |
| C．They cost a lot of money. | D．They were easy to carry. |
| A．It was convenient to take photos with film. |
| B．People outside used landlines to call someone. |
| C．Improvements in technology change people’s life. |
| D．For a time, many people had pay phones at home. |
| A．The Changing Phones. | B．The Products of Tomorrow. |
| C．Old Things We Use Today. | D．The Things We Used to Use. |
相似题推荐
【推荐1】① Many homes have cameras to protect them from danger. The cameras can tell the owners if someone has entered. But the cameras do not know whether the person is a family member, a friend, a postman or a criminal.
② But a new camera made by a French company can recognize faces. It can tell parents at work that their children have returned from school, or that the mail has been sent to their home. It can also tell them if a stranger has entered their home. When family members enter a home, the smart camera “recognizes” them and sends information to the owner’s phone. The owner can choose to see the video then or later. But if an unknown person enters a home, the camera will send a warning sound on the owner’s phone.
③ This is what happened recently to a smart home camera owner named Damien. He lives in Paris.
④ “On a Friday I was at work, having a big monthly meeting when my phone moved. At first I told myself ‘Oh, it must be a wrong warn,’ but my phone was telling me there was a face that the camera did not recognize. Something was happening in my house!”
⑤ “I saw a person I did not know with his shoes on, which is not allowed in my apartment . I watched it on the video. I felt quite surprised. I hurried back home as fast as possible and called the police on the way. Thanks to the smart camera, the criminal was caught soon,” said Damien.
1. The underlined word “ recognize” means “ ”.| A．证明 | B．辨别 | C．发现 | D．搜寻 |
| A．sending information to the owner | B．calling the police |
| C．recognizing faces | D．telling the owner when a stranger enters the home |
| A．watch videos | B．take cameras | C．make a phone call | D．wear shoes |
( ①=自然段 1 ②=自然段 2 ③=自然段 3 ④=自然段 4 ⑤=自然段 5 )
| A．①; ②③; ④⑤ | B．①; ②; ③④⑤ |
| C．①②③; ④; ⑤ | D．①②; ③④; ⑤ |
| A．Catching Criminals in a Better Way | B．Strange Video Faces |
| C．Warning Sound on the Phone | D．Smart Home Cameras |
【推荐2】In the past 200 years, the earth’s temperature has increased greatly. It’s reported that a marked increase in the temperature of about 0.7℃ appeared at the end of last century. Some scientists think mini-umbrellas(微型伞) might reduce the global(全球的) temperature.
Building a single umbrella, which is big enough to cover the whole earth, seems to be impossible. Roger Angel, a scientist from the USA, has carried out research to deal with this problem. He came up with an idea of mini-umbrellas. In fact, each mini-umbrella is made up of two parts, a spaceship and a sunshade(遮阳篷). A spaceship weighing about 1g would carry a sunshade that is half a meter long.It would be mostly transparent. That means light can pass it directly to reach the earth, with lands and oceans clearly in view.
Pressure(压力) from the sunlight would keep the little spaceships in position around the earth at a distance of about 1.5 million kilometers. As a result, sending over 1,000 billion mini-umbrellas into space would reduce the amount of sunlight reaching the earth. This allows sunlight to be reflected(反射) back to space easily, causing the temperature of the earth’s ground to fall off. Covering large areas of the earthman-umbrellas together could reflect 1.8 percent of sunlight back. In Roger’s plan, scientists will send up 800,000 mini-umbrellas at a time, 20 million times in all during ten years. Scientists suggest the earliest launch could be in just 16 years.
Not all the scientists agree with the idea. Some suppose there should be easier and much cheaper ways to prevent the earth from getting too hot, such as to slow down the pollution people bring and to reduce the human activities. Whatever the result of the argument is, this idea of mini-umbrellas in space is certainly creative.
1. The underlined word “transparent” here probably means “________”.| A．透明的 | B．透气的 | C．透风的 |
A． | B． | C． |
| A．pressure from the sunlight would allow the mini-umbrellas to be reflected back to space easily |
| B．the mini-umbrellas would reduce the amount of sunlight reaching the earth |
| C．sunlight would never come into the earth |
| A．Scientists suggest that the earliest launch could be in just 16 years. |
| B．A spaceship weighing about 1g would carry a sunshade. |
| C．Roger will send up 800,000 mini-umbrellas into space during 20 years. |
| A．THE TEMPERATURE OF THE EARTH |
| B．A MINI-UMBRELLA PLAN |
| C．CHEAPER WAYS TO PREVENT THE POLLUTION |
【推荐3】Type in(输入) “How to keep rabbits healthy” and ask ChatGPT to write a report. Just in one second, you’ll get a biology report, well written.
Developed by US company OpenAI, ChatGPT, a powerful tool that can write stories and emails, translate languages, and answer all kinds of questions, has swept the education world in the past months. According to a US survey of more than 1, 000 students, over 89% of them have used ChatGPT to help with homework. And this has caused argument in education.
Some schools in the US and France have banned the use of ChatGPT. For example, New York City public schools didn’t allow students to use ChatGPT on their electronic devices(设备). The move comes out of two worries. Firstly, ChatGPT could make it easier for students to cheat on homework. Secondly, it may spread incorrect information.
Some experts says that it doesn’t develop critical-thinking(批判性思维) and problem-solving skills which are necessary for lifelong success. Besides bars, teachers are making changes to their classes to block the use of ChatGPT. Some teachers in the US try to include more speaking exams and handwritten papers instead of typed ones.
But not all educators say “no” to ChatGPT. Some Canadian universities are making rules on its use. They have no plans to completely ban the tool.
Bhaskar Vira, pro-vice-chancellor(副校长) at the university of Cambridge, said that bans on Al software like ChatGPT are not wise. “We have to know that AI is a tool people will use,” he said, “What we need to do is to change our learning, teaching and examinations. That way we can have honesty while recognizing the use of the tool.”
1. How does the writer start this passage?| A．By showing an example | B．By giving numbers |
| C．By telling a story | D．By comparing some facts |
| A．accepted | B．stopped | C．allowed | D．offered |
① Because ChatGPT is a very powerful tool.
②Because ChatGPT may help students cheat.
③ Because ChatGPT may spread wrong information.
④ Because ChatGPT will change their learning and teaching.
| A．①③ | B．②④ | C．①④ | D．②③ |
| A．ChatGPT is so intelligent that nothing it provides is incorrect and false |
| B．it’s easier for students to cheat in typed reports than in speaking exams |
| C．most students can achieve lifelong success without problem-solving skills |
| D．Bhaskar Vira believes that it’s wise to make some changes to use AI dishonestly |
| A．ChatGPT helps many students with their homework. |
| B．Advantages and disadvantages of ChatGPT. |
| C．Educators’ different opinions and moves on ChatGPT. |
| D．ChatGPT is banned in the education world. |
【推荐1】It has been two months since Richard Watson placed 200 special transmitters (信号发射机) for his cows. They are parts of an AI system named Ida. This AI system can send messages to Watson’s phone when his cows are healthy or when they are not feeling well. It can tell how many animals are sick to the dairy farmers (奶农) and also help them pick out the sick animals.
With the AI system, farmers can get the information from their phones instead of going to the farms to check animals every day. So this AI system can help people spend their free time doing other things. Many dairy farmers are interested in Ida. Watson is one of them. On a common morning in March, he took out his phone to check his Ida App. It showed that Cows #97800 and #97782 were eating less. This might mean that there was something wrong with them.
However, some farmers say, “I can find out the sick cow just by looking at her eyes.” Mark Rodgers is a neighbor of Watson’s. He said, “This is what I can do by myself. My experience can help me look after them better. Technology isn’t useful.”
Ida was developed by Yasir Khokhar, the boss of the company. He said he came up with the idea while he was living on a farm in Holland. The system can record cow’s behaviors by studying videos of them. The company is still trying to improve this technology to provide much more convenience for farmers.
1. According to the text, the AI system Ida can help farmers ________.① chat with their animals ② pick out the sick animals ③ record animals’ behaviors ④ change animals’ food
| A．①② | B．②③ | C．③④ | D．②④ |
| A．Farmers have problems feeding cows. |
| B．Farmers are busy doing other things. |
| C．This AI system is used in different ways. |
| D．This AI system is popular with dairy farmers. |
| A．Creative. | B．Brave. | C．Honest. | D．Friendly. |
| A．Yasit Khokhar will stop his company business. |
| B．Richard Watson will keep more cows on his farm. |
| C．Mark Rodgers doesn’t want any help from the system. |
| D．The system can also provide the cows with music lessons. |
【推荐2】Technology is developing fast and it has become an important part of our life. Then what will the world be like in the future?
3-D food will be both delicious and nutritious(有营养的). We can use 3-D printers to print some basic materials. ① And we can go further. Scientists believe that we just need to turn on a printer in the kitchen and then we can enjoy our favourite food whenever we like.
② 5G network will allow many more people to get information. Big companies like China Mobile and China Unicom will start to offer 5G. It is said that promises download speeds 10 to 20 times faster than 4G. For example, we can download a film within just 1 second. But with a 4G network, it takes a few minutes. There will be much bandwidth(带宽) and we can get unlimited(无限的) information.
Underwater cities will provide more space. The earth is becoming more and more crowded. We may turn to underwater homes, which will be built as low as 15 of the sea can be used to provide power for the homes.
③ For us common people on the earth, the dream of travelling around space will come true. In the coming years, spacecraft will be as popular as buses, trains and planes. We can leave our home and enter space to take an adventure(冒险). And even we will get used to living there.
A robot will be a part of life. Robots can do many of the same things as we humans do like driving cars. But they will be used in other areas as well. They will be able to think. They can tell the difference between right and wrong. They can feel.
④ In a word, just as Jules Verne said, “Anything one man can imagine, other men can make real.”
1. According to the passage, which of the following statements about the future world is TRUE?| A．3-D food will be easy to make but won’t taste good. |
| B．With 5G, users will get only a little information. |
| C．Underwater cities will provide more living space. |
| D．A robot will do everything for us as human beings. |
| A．① | B．② | C．③ | D．④ |
| A．People will live a hard life in the future. |
| B．Technology will make our future better. |
| C．People will have no real friend in the future. |
| D．Technology will make no difference to our future. |
【推荐3】Being a farmer is a lot of work. You spend all the day outdoors. Luckily, smart technology is making its way down to the farm. Drones(无人机), apps, driverless tractors — how are these technologies changing one of the world’s oldest jobs? Let’s take a look.
When we talk about drones, we may think of gathering information or making fantastic videos. These eyes in the sky can also help farmers. Growers closely watch their crops, find pests(害虫) and make sure that water is being used properly. Drones can also help humans do lots of physical work Powered by China’s Beidou Navigation Satellite System the drones can spread seeds fertilizer(化肥) faster and better than humans
The driverless car is an exciting new technology. The same technology can help farmers plant cut and gather crops! Smart Ag, a US company, produces driverless tractors. Now driverless tractors can work in fields day and night. They have sensors, radar and GPS. Pulling a grain cart the tractor can automatically harvest grain from a machine, and then send the cart to be unloaded(卸货). According to technology officer Mark Barglof, it won’t run over people or run into other equipment or crops.
One of the most important jobs of a farmer is to make sure that plants get water. A new smartphone app called Smart Irrigation can help.
Developed by an agricultural scientist at the University of Georgia, US, the app uses GPS technology to tell farmers when to water their crops. It connects with the closest weather station to learn about local rainfall, and then estimates (估计) how much water the plants need each day. It’s not just for farmers, people at home can also use it to decide when to water their lawn (草坪).
1. What can drones help farmers do?| A．Collect pests. | B．Water crops. | C．Spread seeds. | D．Buy fertilizer. |
| A．farmers plant flower seeds | B．farmers water crops properly |
| C．workers build weather stations | D．people know better about weather |
| A．send carts to farmers houses | B．help farmers make useful tools |
| C．be dangerous to the people around | D．help farmers plant and harvest |
| A．The oldest jobs in the world-farming. | B．The great companies with new inventions |
| C．The influence of the technology on farming | D．The advertisements of some farming machines. |
【推荐1】
| Manners at the Table Author: Carrie Finn, Chris Lensch Age: 4~8 years old | This is a nice book about manners. The pictures are colorful, interesting and they show the ideas behind each manner. The simple text is perfect for young children. |
| Soup Should Be Seen, Not Heard! Author: Beth Brainard Age: 4 and above | It gives advice that children can actually use in their everyday lives. It offers the answers to questions such as how to set the table, how to introduce people, how to use the phone properly, and what to wear to a party. |
| Dude, That’s Rude! Author: Pamela Espeland Elizabath Verdick Age: 8~13 years old | Kids today need manners more than ever, and the book makes it fun and easy to learn some. Full-color cartoons and texts teach the polite behavior in all kinds of situations—at home, at school, in the bathroom, on the phone and at the mall. |
| Manners Can Be Fun Author: Munro Leaf Age: 4~8 years old | If we want something, we should say PLEASE. If others help us or give us something or do things for us, we should say THANK YOU. The ideas behind this book are great. It talks about how we sometimes forget to be kind to the people we live with. |
根据材料内容选择最佳答案。
1. The pictures of Manners at The Table are ________.| A．boring | B．interesting | C．difficult | D． easy |
| A．Dude, That s Rude! | B．Manners at the Table. |
| C．Manners Can Be Fun. | D．Soup Should Be Seen, Not Heard! |
| A．the first book | B．the second book |
| C．the third book | D．the fourth book |
| A．It has many historical stories. |
| B．It is the cheapest of the four hooks. |
| C．It is written by Elizabeth Verdick. |
| D．It hopes readers to be kind to their family members. |
| A．To introduce some manners for children. |
| B．To tell us the importance of reading books. |
| C．To help us know about some books about manners. |
| D．To tell us some great authors from foreign countries. |
【推荐2】We’d love to say there are no rules here—but for everyone’s safety and fun, we do have just a few...
FIRST, THE DON’TS
Adults, DON’T leave your kids at home. No adults are allowed in the museum without kids.
Kids, DON’T leave your parents at home. No one under 18 is allowed without an adult.
Adults, DON’T think that older kids can visit the museum alone. Kids, no matter how old, should be watched at all time. In fact, your kids will enjoy spending time with you!
DON’T bring food or drinks into the exhibit (展览) areas. Enjoy your snacks at our Tiny Bites Cafe, or outside in the park.
DON’T smoke while at the museum.
DON’T run around or shout at the museum.
And last, DON’T be surprised if we ask you to please be nice, walk slowly and play gently (文雅地). We are here to keep you safe and make sure everyone has a good time.
AND NOW, THE DO’S
DO touch, explore (探索) and play!
DO ask lots of questions!
DO talk to our staff! We wear green shirts and love talking to visitors!
DO give us your feedback (反馈意见)—good, bad or whatever! That is how we learn!
RULES FOR GROUPS
One adult is required for every 10 kids.
Adults must stay with kids at all time while at the museum.
根据短文内容，选择正确答案。
1. We can learn from the passage that _________.
| A．visitors can’t have snacks at the exhibit areas |
| B．older kids can visit the museum alone |
| C．visitors are asked to wear green clothes |
| A．smoke | B．run around | C．touch the exhibits |
| A．buy gifts | B．ask questions | C．give feedback |
| A．1 | B．2 | C．3 |
| A．rules of a museum |
| B．how to have fun at a museum |
| C．how to keep kids safe at a museum |
【推荐3】According to a survey, student safety has become a big problem. Now in many big cities in China, some schools have taught an unusual lesson: self-protection (自我保护). Students like this lesson because there are no exams or boring classes. And they can learn how to save their lives. Chen Haoyu, a teacher gives students advice on how to deal with danger.
If Someone Robs (抢劫) YouIf you cannot cry for help or run away, give the robber your money. Try to remember what the robber looks like and tell the police later.
If You Are in a Traffic AccidentIf a car hurts you, you should remember the car number. If it is a bicycle, try to call your parents before you let the rider go. This is because you don’t know how seriously you are hurt.
If It Is Raining Hard and There Is Lightning (闪电)Don’t stay in high places and stay away from trees.
When There Is a FireGet away as fast as you can. Put wet things on your body and try to find an exit. Do not take the lift.
If Someone Is Drowning (溺水)If you can’t swim, don’t get into the water. Cry out for help. Remember that danger is never as far away as you think. Take care of yourself at all times.
1. Why do students like the self-protection lesson?| A．Because there are no tests. | B．Because the lesson has many activities. |
| C．Because they like the teacher. | D．Because they learn to save others’ lives. |
| A．Remember the bicycle number. | B．Remember what the rider looks like. |
| C．Stay under a tree and lie down to rest. | D．Stay with the rider until you call your parents. |
| A．When there is a fire. | B．When there is lightning. |
| C．When they are drowning. | D．When someone robs them. |
| A．Three. | B．Four. | C．Five. | D．Six. |
| A．A science book. | B．A travel guide. |
| C．A news website. | D．A safety guide. |
