Beep! Beep! Barcode technology makes it faster and easier to buy things in stores.
You’ve probably seen the black-and-white zebra stripes on product packaging. But can you imagine this great invention is more than 50 years old? In 1971, engineer George Laurer came up with a barcode that could be printed on food labels. Later, he designed the Universal Product Code barcode, which was used by many supermarket companies starting in 1973, according to The New York Times. Before this, cashiers who received and paid out money in shops had to record prices by hand.
Time has proven it to be a great invention. Today, barcodes are scanned over 6 billion times every day and used by 2 million companies worldwide, PR Newswire reported.
What information does a barcode include? Where the product comes from, where it has been, its price, expiration date...you name it. It can also help stores keep track of their products. For example, if there are 10 boxes of milk and a customer buys one, it will be recorded so that the store owner knows there are nine boxes left. In the 1980s, libraries started using barcodes to keep track of books in this way.
The next generation of barcodes, such as QR codes, can hold more information. “They can tell customers if a product contains allergens or if it is organic. This provides customers with a greater level of trust in the products they buy,” said GS 1, an organization that develops global barcode standards.
1. According to the passage, barcodes were ________.| A．designed to save money | B．invented about fifty years ago |
| C．first written on food boxes | D．made by a cashier in a supermarket |
| A．who made the products | B．where the products come from |
| C．how much the products are | D．how many products have been sold |
| A．will offer more information about barcodes |
| B．will replace the old generation of barcodes soon |
| C．can help customers know more about the products |
| D．can tell customers what allergens will make them sick |
| A．encourage us to design more barcodes | B．let us realize the influence of barcodes |
| C．help us know some facts about barcodes | D．introduce us the new generation of barcodes |
相似题推荐
【推荐1】Have you ever experienced the feeling of falling as you start to fall asleep? Sometimes you may wake up to this feeling. If so, don’t worry. Many people have felt the same thing.
In fact, the muscle twitches (肌肉抽搐) in the arms, legs or other parts of the body are called hypnic jerks (入睡抽动) or sleep starts. And they are very common. Up to 70 percent of people experience them sometimes, Huffing to Post reported. But what causes it?
There are some theories (理论). Some scientists believe that the feeling of falling comes from the body relaxing itself, especially if the person is anxious or unable to get comfortable. As you’re going to sleep, your muscles become relaxed. But your brain stays awake. It misunderstands the relaxing of your muscles as a sign that you’re falling. The brain then jerks the body awake as if it’s trying to protect you.
Other scientists believe that different phases (时期) of sleep might cause hypnic jerks. When we sleep, we experience two phases: non-rapid eye movement (NREM, 非快速眼动睡眠期) and rapid eye, movement (REM, 快速眼动睡眠期). During REM, our heart rate can act irregularly. If the body experiences flashes (一瞬间) of REM while entering sleep, these irregularities could cause twitches.
If you don’t want to experience hypnic jerks, scientists have some suggestions. When you become deeply relaxed, you can learn how to reconnect your body with your brain slowly by moving your fingers and toes a little bit. Then start to move your head and open your eyes so that you can avoid the muscle twitches.
But experts agree that hypnic jerks, though sometimes scary, are harmless. If it wakes you up, simply roll over and go back to sleep, But keep in mind: a caffeinated drink, exciting evening activities or stress may make hypnic jerks happen more often.
1. What does the third paragraph mainly tell us?| A．There are all kinds of theories about hypnic jerks. |
| B．People sometimes get anxious or uncomfortable. |
| C．Different phases of sleep might cause hypnic jerks. |
| D．The feeling of falling comes from the body relaxing itself. |
| A．Two. | B．Three. | C．Four. | D．Five. |
①Drinking caffeinated drink ②Singing songs for a long time
③Too much stress ④Reading a book quietly
| A．①②③ | B．②③④ | C．①②④ | D．①③④ |
| A．What Causes Hypnic Jerks | B．Sleeping Is Good for Our Health |
| C．How to Experience Hypnic Jerks | D．Feeling of Falling While Going to Sleep |
【推荐2】Spring Ahead
On March 12, clocks in the United States and at least 60 other countries “spring toward” one hour for daylight saving time（DST夏令时）. We lose an hour of sleep. But we get more daylight until November, when clocks “fall back” an hour as we return to standard time. This cycle has been going on for years.
Arizona and Hawaii do not have DST. Meanwhile, Alabama, Colorado, and several other states have tried to make DST year-round. Last March, the U.S. Senate（参议院）passed the Sunshine Protection Act. It would make DST long-lasting and give Americans an extra hour of daylight, all year long. Congress（国会）did not pass the bill, and it’s unclear whether lawmakers will try again. But one thing is certain: The time-change debate isn’t going away. Many reasons, from health to energy use, make it a hot topic.
DST was finally passed in the U.S. in 1966. But the country first tried it in 1918, during World War I. “It allowed people to do things for the war effort after they got home from work, like planting gardens,” historian David Prerau told TIME for Kids. “That extra hour has other benefits,” he says. “It saves energy. It gets people outdoors. And it’s good for public health.”
Others say DST disrupts sleep. “The more our sleep patterns and body clock patterns don’t fit what we need, for work and school, the worse it is for us, from a health view,” says Anne Skeldon, a mathematician who creates models of sleep behavior. “The time change can be especially hard on teens,” she adds.
The Sunshine Protection Act is not the first effort the U.S. has made toward everlasting daylight saving time. In 1974, DST continued into the winter because of a serious energy shortage. But in some states, sunrise was as late as 9:00 a.m. Kids had to wait for school buses in the dark. Some kids took flashlights with them. People disliked it so much.
In 2022, a CBS News survey found 46% of Americans want DST to be year-round. They said more daylight puts them in a better feeling. About 33% want standard time to be year-round. They said people get better sleep that way. Only 21% like switching back and forth, as we do now.
1. Which of the following statements is TRUE about daylight saving time (DST)?| A．Clocks are set back by one hour in spring. |
| B．It was finally passed in the US in 1974. |
| C．DST is used in all 50 states of the US. |
| D．DST provides an extra hour of daylight until November. |
| A．Efforts to make year-round DST a law failed. |
| B．Several states want to have year-round DST. |
| C．The time-change debate remains a popular topic. |
| D．DST has been in history for a long time. |
| A．Three. | B．Four. | C．Five. | D．Six. |
| A．increases | B．needs | C．influences | D．reduces |
The death of an orangutan（红毛大猩猩）in August broke the hearts of many people.
In 1979, when Chantek was just 9 months old, he was taken to the University of Tennessee in Chattanooga, US. Researcher Lyn Miles led an unusual experiment there.
Chantek stayed at the university for 8 years. He sometimes even walked to classes with students. But in 1986, Chantek escaped from his room and frightened a student.
Chantek was moved to the Altanta Zoo in 1997.
| A．The university had to send him to live in an animal center. |
| B．Chantek was not an ordinary orangutan. |
| C．She wanted to teach Chantek like a human child. |
| D．The zoo said the orangutan often used sign language to “talk” with his caretakers. |
| E．He learned at least 150 words in American Sign Language. |
【推荐1】"Three apples have changed the world. One is for Eve, one is for Newton. The third is in the hands of Steve Jobs." said someone.
Steve Jobs was the former CEO of the Apple computer company which was set up in his parents' garage (车库) on April Fool's Day, 1976. Through many years' hard work, Jobs and his Apple products were a great success. People believe he has made the world a better place. Many young people also think of Apple products as a fashion symbol.
Because of his great achievements in this area, he was honoured with a number of awards including the National Medal of Technology in 1985, the Times cover character (封面人物) and the Most Successful Manager in 1997.
Jobs' road to success wasn't an easy one. He experienced several ups and downs, but he was still standing. Just as Hemingway in The Old Man and the Sea said, "A man can be destroyed, but not be defeated (打败)." So he was considered as an American hero.
What did Jobs' workers and family members think of him?
On one hand, some workers described him as a strange, bad-tempered (坏脾气的) boss. They said he was impatient with those who disagreed with him or didn't understand his ideas. On the other hand, his family members thought of him as a home-loving dad with each of his four children. He worried about all the things of them, such as their boyfriends, travel, safety and even skirt length. Though he was quite busy, he still attended his daughter's graduation party.
1. Where did Steve Jobs set up the Apple computer company?| A．In his own house. | B．In his friend's house. | C．In his friend's garage. | D．In his parents' garage. |
| A．Home-loving. | B．Honest. | C．Patient. | D．Humorous. |
| A．The Most Successful Manager. | B．The Top Richest Man. |
| C．The National Medal of Technology | D．The Times cover character. |
| A．Because he developed lots of Apple Products. |
| B．Because he set up the Apple computer company. |
| C．Because he devoted himself to the area of computer. |
| D．Because he wasn't defeated after several ups and downs. |
| A．Steve Jobs was very famous only in the USA |
| B．Steve Jobs was too busy to care about his children |
| C．Steve Jobs changed the world a lot with his Apple products |
| D．Steve Jobs never got into any trouble on his way to success |
【推荐2】Everyone faces difficulties in their life. Daniel Kish was born with a special eye illness and lost his eyesight before he was only 14 months old.
Soon after, however, he started to do an amazing thing. He learned to make clicks with his tongue to help him move around. Kish now moves about using sonar. He is so good at it that he can ride a bicycle by himself on public roads. And he started the organization World Access for the Blind(WAFTB) in 2000, teaching others how to use sonar. In the interview with National Geographic, he explains how the sonar works.
“When I make a click sound, it produces sound waves. These waves reflect off surfaces all around and return to my ears. My brain then deals with the sound and turns it into pictures in my mind. Each click is like a camera flash, which helps me make a 3D picture of my surroundings for hundreds of feet. It’s like having a conversation with the environment.”
Kish feels it is exciting to ride a bike using sonar, although he needs to click twice a second, much more than he usually does. “It may sound a bit dangerous to move around the world in this way,” he says, “But most people in the world live in fear of things that they imagine. I love hiking and mountain biking. I go almost everywhere. And I’ve never had an accident and hurt myself.”
He is happy to be able to help more blind children to improve their life. “We’ve served over 10,000 students in nearly 40 countries,” he tells the reporter, “Many students are surprised how quickly results come. Seeing isn’t in the eyes. It’s in the mind.”
根据短文内容，选出最佳答案。
1. Why does Kish move around using sonar?
| A．Because he is good at making clicks. |
| B．Because it makes him “see” the world. |
| C．Because he has a great interest in science. |
| D．Because it is important for him to keep healthy. |
| A．It offers the blind free bicycles. | B．It sells sonar products to the blind. |
| C．It teaches the blind to use sonar. | D．It helps the blind find more friends. |
①The sound waves reflect off surfaces.
②The person makes a clicking sound.
③The brain turns the sound into pictures.
④The sound waves reach the person’s ears.
| A．①③②④ | B．②①④③ | C．①④②③ | D．②③①④ |
| A．An instrument. | B．A book. | C．A special sound. | D．A machine. |
| A．Living without fear | B．Travel with the blind |
| C．Hoping for the future | D．Looking around the world |
【推荐3】Do you find it difficult to put down your mobile phone? If your answer is yes, you’re not alone. These days, many people can’t live without their phones. They reach for them as soon as they wake up in the morning. They keep checking their apps, such as QQ and WeChat, to get the latest news.
It may be difficult for these people to give up the bad habit, so Google developed an app called Dashboard to help them. This app helps users manage the time they spend on their phones.
First, Dashboard allows the users to look at their phone habits. For example, users can see how many times they have unlocked their phones, how many times they have checked their apps, and how much time they spend on each app each day. Once the users see the information, they will be able to make some changes. They can set a time limit (限制) for how long they can use each app every day. After they’ve hit the limit, they won’t be able to use the app until the next day. What’s more, Dashboard can help keep the phones silent when users put their phones face down, so they will use the phones less.
If you truly want to make full use of your free time instead of spending hours using your smartphone, this new app is just a good choice. After all, controlling yourself and having a strong will (意志) can help you most.
1. Dashboard may be helpful to people who ________.| A．can’t use apps like WeChat | B．know little about smartphones |
| C．want to use their phones less | D．would like to get the latest news |
| A．How Dashboard helps people. | B．What people’s phone habits are. |
| C．Why Google developed Dashboard. | D．When people should use Dashboard. |
| A．Dashboard will keep the phone silent. | B．They can’t use the app that same day. |
| C．Dashboard will set a new time limit. | D．Their phone will turn itself off right away. |
| A．Dashboard | B．their phones | C．themselves | D．their free time |
| A．To encourage us to develop a strong will and control ourselves better. |
| B．To show us the technology’s influence on our daily life. |
| C．To remind us to spend less time on the phone. |
| D．To introduce a new app to control our phone time. |
【推荐1】We all know that computers changed (改变) our lives in the 1980s. We realized that the Internet changed our lives in the 1990s. Can you predict that robots will change our lives in the future? It’s not a dream that every home will have a robot. We believe that there will be robots in people’s homes.
Now, robots are able to help people do the housework. They can also help doctors do difficult operations, play chess with people, play the piano and do some other things.
It is really funny to have a cooking robot. It can cook all the dishes on the menu. What you only need to do is just to wait for two to four minutes. You’ll be surprised at how delicious the food will taste.
In the future, the robot will be a nurse, a guard or a partner in your life. Robots will become part of the family, and provide close service for people. We all look forward to the new robot age.
1. What changed our lives in the 1990s?| A．Robots. | B．Computers. | C．The TV. | D．The Internet. |
| A．Think instead of us. | B．Play chess with people. |
| C．Play the piano. | D．Do difficult operations. |
| A．Having a cooking robot is really funny. | B．The robot can cook all the dishes on the menu. |
| C．You need to wait two or four hours for the meal. | D．The food will taste delicious. |
| A．年龄 | B．时代 | C．期间 | D．类型 |
| A．A funny cooking robot. | B．The Internet in our lives. |
| C．The importance of computers. | D．Robots in the future. |
The eye-recognition(眼睛识别) program is already being tested in shops and banks in the USA, Britain and France. Soon, this technology(技术) will change all other ways of finding out who people are.
However, scientists are working on other systems. Machines will soon be able to know you from the shape of your face or hands or even your smell! We already have machines that can tell who you are from your voice or the mark made by your fingers.
Eye-recognition is better than other kinds because your eyes don’t change as you get older, or get dirty like hands or fingers. And even twins have different eyes, so the program can be up to 94％ correct, depending on how good the technology is. Some programs may only be right 51％ of the time. In Britain, it was found that 91％ of people who had tried it said that they liked the idea of eye-recognition.
In the future your computer will be looking at you in the eye. So smile!
1. What is the advantage of using the eye-recognition program?
| A．You needn’t use a machine. |
| B．You needn’t remember a number. |
| C．You needn’t look at the machine. |
| D．You needn’t take some money with you. |
| A．You type in your number. |
| B．You show your ID card. |
| C．You look at the machine. |
| D．You say your name. |
| A．Because eyes hardly change. |
| B．Because hands or fingers can get dirty. |
| C．Because people like the idea of the program. |
| D．Because the program is widely used around the world. |
| A．The program is being tested in Japan. |
| B．Computers can remember you by looking at your clothes. |
| C．91％ of people in Britain don’t like the idea of the eye-recognition program. |
| D．Machines with other systems will also tell who you are in the future. |
【推荐3】In less than two months, a newly opened mini-market in a village in Xigaze City, Southwest China’s Tibet autonomous region, has won a large number of customers. “Trash for cash”—that is the secret behind its success. Villagers can redeem(兑换)goods with used boxes and drink bottles.
Early in the morning, Drukhyun, the first secretary of Chumik village, came to check the stock-sheet(存货单). “More and more people are coming to redeem goods and we need to timely add stocks,” Drukhyun said.
Sonam Dorje came early with a big bag of waste paper. He redeemed 16 points, which he used to get a bag of salt. “I used to throw them away directly. Now I can redeem them at the market, which is an additional income for me,” Sonam Dorje said.
Yet the move(行动)was not quite well received in the beginning, until they put their eyes on the pupils. The children used recyclables in exchange for snacks and soon the news spread. Now over 100 villagers have redeemed products with a market value of over 5,100 yuan (about $801).
Technology has also made the low-carbon lifestyle smarter and cleaner. In a community in Lhasa’s Chengguan district, the intelligent recycling bins can calculate the weight and upload the redeemed points to cards held by local residents. “When the trash bins are full, it will automatically ‘remind’ the cleaning staff to empty them,” said Pendran, director of the district’s waste sorting office. He added Chengguan district has built 220 garbage recycling stations and will install more to further perfect the whole system.
1. How long did it take for the mini market to succeed?| A．About a year. | B．Less than two months. |
| C．Half a year. | D．More than two months. |
| A．He needs to clean the waste. | B．He has to count the cost. |
| C．He needs to sell more goods. | D．He has to add some goods. |
| A．When it helped improve kids’ eyesight. |
| B．When it encouraged pupils to take part. |
| C．When it attracted more than 100 villagers. |
| D．When it enjoyed a market value of 801 dollars. |
| A．Technology has made the process easier. |
| B．People will not make any more trash cans. |
| C．People don’t know how to make life smarter. |
| D．Technology has made the cleaning staff jobless. |
| A．On a poster. | B．In a travel guide. |
| C．In a newspaper. | D．In a scientific magazine |
【推荐1】There are over 800 boarding schools (寄宿学校) in the UK with students from home and foreign countries. Boarding schools started hundreds of years ago in the UK. The earliest boarding schools were set up for white, rich boys only. Now boys and girls can go to boarding schools from the age of 7 to 18.
What to Do
In the UK, boarding schools have 3 terms in a school year, with about 13 weeks in each term. Students study and live together. They can’t go outside if their teachers don’t allow them to do that. In some schools, each student has his or her subject plan. Besides the usual classrooms and labs, the boarding schools have lots of other facilities (设施) for their students, including music rooms, boats, swimming pools, cinemas and theatres. Most boarding schools have a “light out time”. When it’s time to go to bed, all the lights in the bedrooms are turned off. There are house-masters to take care of students all the time, especially after school hours.
What to Wear
All the students at boarding schools wear a school uniform. Boys usually wear a shirt and a tie, and girls wear a white blouse, sometimes also a tie and a skirt. As students get older, the rules become less strict.
________
In the UK, boarding schools provide students with many different kinds of delicious food. They can choose to have a full English breakfast or simple bread. They can also choose between a meal with no meat and another meal at lunch and dinner. There is self-service for salad, other side dishes and a dessert. Students can also make themselves something to eat at any time in a kitchen, or drink tea or have a snack between meals.
1. According to the passage, ________ can study in boarding schools in the UK.| A．six-year-old English boys | B．seven-year-old Chinese boys |
| C．five-year-old American girls | D．four-year-old Canadian girls |
| A．time to get up | B．time to go to bed |
| C．time to enjoy the movies | D．time to turn on lights |
| A．What to Eat | B．How to Eat | C．What to Cook | D．How to Cook |
| A．There are only 680 boarding schools in the UK. |
| B．The students can’t ask house-masters for help after school hours. |
| C．The students can’t go swimming in the school. |
| D．The students can make food in the kitchen at any time. |
【推荐2】Enjoying delicious international food is one of the greatest joys of traveling. But as a visitor to a new country, you may worry that you don’t know rules when eating out. Let’s look at common restaurant customs in some countries.
France
In France, it’s important to be on time for your restaurant reservation (预订). Greet the waiter politely. You should order your own meal, because it’s not polite to share food. Although it is not common to take home your leftovers (剩菜).
Italy
At an Italian restaurant, a waiter will seat you. It’s fine to share food. Italians usually drink water, beer, or wine with their meal, and never coffee or soda. Try to finish your plate and do not ask to take home uneaten food.
Thailand
At a formal meal, it’s certain that you’ll be told where to sit. Get your waiter’s attention by waving your hand. Sharing food is perfectly fine, and if you’re with a group, it’s the older women who generally order dishes for the table.
South Korea
If you wait for a waiter to seat you, you’ll be waiting a long time! As long as there are seats available, you can seat yourself. Touch the button (按钮) on the table if you want to call the waiter. Also note that sharing food in South Korea is not acceptable. During the meal, bowls are kept on the table. Use your spoon instead of chopsticks to eat rice.
1. Which of the following is NOT a custom in France?| A．You can’t share food with others. |
| B．You should order your own meal. |
| C．Get your waiter’s attention by waving your hand. |
| A．Water, beer, or wine. | B．Coffee. | C．Soda. |
| A．Leftovers should be taken home. | B．It’s fine to share food. | C．Bowls are kept on the table. |
| A．You can’t seat yourself. |
| B．You can call the waiter by touching the button on the table. |
| C．You should hold your bowl during the meal. |
| A．Enjoying delicious international food |
| B．Travel places in the world |
| C．Common restaurant customs around the world |
Teenagers who spend hours in front of the television may have a poorer diet (饮食) as young adults.
A study, which included nearly 1,400 high school students, found those who watched TV for five hours or more per day had less healthy diets than peers (同龄人) five years later. Why does this happen? Should the parents take any actions?
On the one hand, people who spend a lot of time in front of the TV, especially teenagers, may snack more, and that may influence their long-term diet quality (质量). On the other hand, TV ads for fast food, sweets and snacks tempt teenagers to eat more of those foods. And TV time might also replace exercise time for some kids.
Lead researcher Dr. Daheia J. Barr-Anderson, of the University of Minnesota in Minneapolis, told Reuters Health a clear relationship between TV time during high school and diet quality in young adulthood. While the heaviest TV viewers were eating the most junk food, those who’d watched less than two hours per day had the highest intake (摄入量) of fruits, vegetables, whole grains and high-calcium (钙) food. In her opinion, parents should limit and monitor TV viewing.
As far as I am concerned, children should watch not more than two hours of television per day. And parents should set a good example by eating right, being physically active and controlling their own TV time.
1. Which can replace the word “tempt” in Paragraph 3?| A．help | B．allow | C．lead | D．invite |
| A．Take in high-calcium food. | B．Eat less junk food. |
| C．Take in fewer vegetables. | D．Eat more fruit. |
| A．TV ads stop them from fast food. |
| B．The snacks they eat lead to a poor diet quality. |
| C．They can do a lot more exercise during TV time. |
| D．They have a lower intake of junk food. |
| A．They should behave well in front of their children. |
| B．They should encourage their children to exercise more. |
| C．They should stop the children from watching TV. |
| D．They should pay attention to calcium in diets. |
| A．Why Do Teenagers Like TV. |
| B．People Should Keep Away from TV to Keep Healthy. |
| C．Parents’ Own Habits May Influence Children Later. |
| D．Teenagers’ TV Time May Influence Their Diets Later. |
