Maybe nothing tastes as delicious and refreshing (凉爽的) as a cold, juicy, round watermelon on a hot summer day. No wonder this healthy fruit has been enjoyed by humans for thousands of years. But how about trying square watermelons instead of round ones? Sounds fascinating, doesn’t it?
If you have been paying attention to all the exciting news lately, then surely you have seen all the wonderful shapes that watermelons come in these days. There are watermelons that look like Egyptian pyramids, there are special heart shaped watermelons for Valentine’s Day and of course, there are all kinds of round shapes. But did you know that it all started with square watermelons?
Recently, farmers in the southern Japanese town have discovered a technique to grow their watermelons in a square shape. The reason why they’re doing this in Japan is that there is not enough space in refrigerators. They are trying to make watermelons “refrigerator-friendly”.
A round watermelon can take up a lot of room in a refrigerator, and the usual round fruit often sits awkwardly (笨拙地) on refrigerator shelves. Smart Japanese farmers have forced their watermelons to grow into a square shape by putting the watermelon into square, glass cases while the fruit is still growing on the vine (藤). The new kind of square watermelons are so easy to store. You can just stack them up, which means more of them will fit in a container. This save a lot of space and also money on shipping. Also, people can now fit them better in their tiny refrigerators at home and can start buying bigger watermelons.
But these square watermelons come with a high price. Regular watermelons in Japan cost from $15 to $25 each, while each square watermelon costs about $82. Being quite expensive, these watermelons will certainly not be bought by the general public. Maybe people will give them as gifts! But it is also said that there does appear to be a growing U.S. market for watermelons that are more refrigerator-friendly. The industry is seeking for opinions from consumers who do mind size.
1. According to the passage, it’s ________ to try a square watermelon these days.| A．impossible | B．dangerous | C．fascinating | D．frightening |
| A．Egyptian pyramid | B．Round |
| C．Square | D．Special heart |
| A．they have discovered a new technique | B．watermelons are not friendly |
| C．there’s not enough space in their fridges | D．round watermelons aren’t popular |
| A．refrigerator | B．glass case | C．shelf | D．room |
| A．enjoy a sweeter flavor | B．enjoy more juicy fruit |
| C．fit them better in their tiny fridges | D．save more water on shipping |
| A．can be bought easily by general public |
| B．can be about three times the price as normal ones |
| C．is not so popular in U.S.A. |
| D．is bought as a gift for consumers who do mind size |
相似题推荐
【推荐1】A robot walks on four legs. It stops in front of a chair, and a mist（雾气）comes out of its head. The robot turns itself to the left, then to the right, then up and down. There is always germ（病菌）in our house. The robot is using it to clean germ on the chair. After that, the robot will move on to the next one.
“Named LASER-D, it’s a robot dog,” said Yiyu Chen, one of its designers（设计者）. His team already tested LASER-D in different places. Chen hopes that in the future the robot will know other things on its own and find out how to clean each side of a thing. The team also wants to give LASER-D an arm so that it can open doors or move things.
At the University of Virginia, some people are testing another robot. This one, DINGO, looks more like a giraffe. It cleans things with ultraviolet light（紫外线）. The light comes out from the sides and bottom（底部）of the robot. At the same time, its neck turns around, sending out more light onto the chairs, desks and other things in a room.
Of course, people can disinfect（消毒）rooms as well, but this job is dangerous. Because of COVID-19, so many places need to be cleaned, but there may not be enough people to get the job done. Maybe people need more robots to do the work over and over again without getting tired.
1. What is LASER-D doing according to the first paragraph? ________| A．Practicing walking on legs. |
| B．Cleaning germ with its mist. |
| C．Learning how to keep away from germ. |
| D．Moving around with the help of the mist. |
①Its look.
②Its designers.
③Its bad points.
④Its way of cleaning things.
| A．①② | B．②③ | C．①③ | D．①④ |
| A．tell us about two helpful robots |
| B．show us his favorite two robots |
| C．ask us to buy the robots quickly |
| D．show two popular robots online |
【推荐2】What will the house of the future look like? Could it have gardens on its walls or a pool with fish for dinner? Scientists predict that they are possible. And one thing for sure is that the houses will be as smart as possible.
The flying house
There are wings on both sides of the house, and there are many different kinds of wings that you can choose from. Wherever you want to go, the flying house can take you there in a short time. When the house is in the sky, the house will form a cover at once so that the temperature won’t be too high inside.
The garden house
This design is about the future of food. There will be houses with special walls. On the outside wall are the gardens of the houses. People can plant tomatoes, carrots and onions on them. So every day in the morning you just need to walk outside and collect your meals.
The lizard house
Like a lizard (蜥蜴), changing color with the weather is the most important design of a lizard house. When it’s in the bright sun, the cover of the house will turn white to protect it from strong heat. During winter days it turns dark and takes in as much light and heat as possible to produce (生产) energy.
The tree house
Many scientists in the world would like to build a “tree house”. Like a leaf, the house collects sunlight during the day. The energy (能量) can be used to heat water, produce electricity and even make the air fresher for the house. The “root” (根) of the house is deep down the ground.
Life in the future will be quite different. People will live with a new lifestyle. You can see many changes in the future world.
1. If you want to go somewhere in a short time, what kind of house will you choose? ________| A．The flying house. |
| B．The garden house. |
| C．The tree house. |
| D．The lizard house |
| A．It will take in light. |
| B．It will turn white. |
| C．It will turn dark. |
| D．It will take in heat. |
| A．with a leaf from the tree |
| B．with gardens on its wall |
| C．with the energy from sunlight |
| D．with wings on both sides |
| A．People will live in the trees in the future. |
| B．People will live just like a lizard in the future. |
| C．People will grow vegetables on the wall in the future. |
| D．People will fly with wings in the future. |
| A．Healthy Life in the Future |
| B．Smart House in the Future |
| C．New Energy in the Future |
| D．Technology in the Future |
At a Google event, a blind runner, Thomas Panek, asked a group of experts (专家) whether they could create something to help blind people run on their own without a guide dog or a human helper.
Panek, CEO of Guiding Eyes for the Blind, always loves running. But he started losing his eyesight when he was 8, and by his early 20s he was blind. Later in life, he started running with other people or a guide dog to help him.
The Google team soon created Project Guideline. The Guideline app uses a smartphone camera to recognize (识别) a line painted on the ground.
| A．But he didn’t like depending on others. |
| B．When Panek first tried the app, he used it to run inside and outside in a park. |
| C．He wants to run with help from someone else. |
| D．The line makes sounds when a person is sad. |
| E．And Google will also continue to work hard to develop the app. |
| F．Many companies (公司) have created apps to help blind people. |
| G．Through headphones (耳机), the app makes sounds when a person moves away from the line. |
| United Kingdom Celebrations for the Spring Festival in the UK started in 1980, with the first evening party held in 2002. Every new year, people get together and have a lot of activities. They sing songs, dance to music, share photos with friends or enjoy films in a cinema. |
| United States The Spring Festival has become a key time for Chinese living or working in the US. They join in a large evening party to welcome the traditional new year. It is a good chance for people to build a circle of friends and feel that they are not alone because they share the same culture and values. |
| Australia The Chinese new year will be welcomed with three weeks of celebrations across Australia. Many people come to Sydney’s Chinatown or Little Bourke in Melbourne. They enjoy fireworks, lion dances, dragon boat and many other traditional activities. The celebrations are also a bridge towards better understanding between Chinese and non-Chinese. |
| Singapore The family dinner on new year’s eve is an important tradition for Chinese whether they were born in Singapore or moved there from China. They place traditional food on a table as an act of remembering their past. Then the whole family enjoy their dinner together. They usually hold it at home because having it in a restaurant takes away the meaning of the tradition. |
1. Celebrations for the Spring Festival in the UK started in ___________.
| A．1890 | B．1980 | C．2000 | D．2002 |
| A．say hello to the traditional new year |
| B．refuse a good chance |
| C．tell others they are alone |
| D．share different cultures |
| A．fireworks | B．lion dances |
| C．trick or treat | D．dragon boat races |
| A．they want to keep Chinese tradition |
| B．the restaurant is far away |
| C．they moved there from other places |
| D．they were born in Singapore |
| A．all parts of the world celebrate the Spring Festival |
| B．the Chinese new year is celebrated only in China |
| C．celebrations for the Spring Festival are just held in four foreign countries |
| D．Chinese across the world have a strong feeling towards the Spring Festival |
【推荐2】Fortune (幸运) or disaster, we will never know which will happen tomorrow. What we can do is to live every day like it’s your last. Enjoy it and make it meaningful.
Make it your daily habit to show thanks. Show thanks for another day to breathe, to dream and to achieve the goals for your life. Hug and kiss your family and your friends. Write cards. Send positive e-mail communications.
Learn to laugh. E. E. Cummings once said, “The most wasted of all days is one without laughter.” Laughing and smiling are the best medicine of all illnesses. They keep life of a joy. Never be too busy to laugh, or too serious to smile. Learn to laugh. Laugh when you succeed, face problems and fail. But don’t laugh at others. Stay with fun people and don’t get caught up in your own sense of importance.
Try to improve 1% each day. Big things can result from taking small steps. As Lao Tzu once said, “A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.” It means trying to get a little closer to fulfilling your dreams and goals. As long as you are making progress, you will feel happy and the life meaningful. So try being 1% happier and healthier than yesterday.
1. The article mainly tells us ________.| A．how to enjoy your life | B．how to get a better future |
| C．why to live a meaningful life | D．the most important things in your life |
①achieving your goals ②kissing your friends
③writing positive e-mails ④staying with fun people
| A．①②③④ | B．①②③ | C．②③④ | D．②③ |
| A．encourage people to show thanks | B．tell people laughing is important |
| C．advise people to take small steps | D．remind people of a happy life |
| A．Achieving. | B．Losing. | C．Forgetting. | D．Changing. |
【推荐3】Now there are many interesting new inventions. I think they are all super cool and fun. Let’s take a look.
Spark is a camera drone（无人机）. It can fly above your head and take photos. A Chinese company called DJI makes it. It is very small. When folded(折叠), it is as small as a cat of soda. Like other drones, you can control it with a remote control（遥控器）. But you can also control it with hand gestures（手势）. This is the coolest part. Put your hand close to your face. Spark is ready to take a photo of you when its red light flashes. Then, put your hand down. After a few seconds, the photo is taken.
This little robot has a big, round head and a chubby body. It is Jibo, a “family robot”. US company Jibo lnc. makes it. Jibo almost seems alive. When you say, “Hey, Jibo,” it dances and turns to face you. When it talks, it moves its head and body. There are no eyes or mouth on Jibo’s face. But it can show emotions（感情）. Jibo can do simple things, such as taking photos and reading the news.
There is a special pair of shoes. When you wear them, you can run faster and jump higher. The key is the sole（鞋底）of the shoe. It is 3D printed. It takes about two hours to print a sole. Wearers can make their own soles. They can decide the size and shape of the sole.
1. There are _________ super cool inventions in this passage.| A．two | B．three | C．four | D．many |
| A．with hand gestures | B．with a remote control |
| C．with US company Jibo Inc. | D．with hand gestures and a remote control |
| A．Jibo can be folded | B．Jibo can move | C．Jibo can’t dance | D．Jibo can’t read |
| A．The family robot. | B．The camera drone. | C．The special shoes. | D．The new inventions. |
What will happen when rice fields meet 3D? Let’s go and see.
The eye-catching rice fields are in Shenyang, Liaoning Province.
Who created them? The Xibo farmers. The Xibo, one of China’s 56 ethnic(民族的)groups
From the famous Chinese hero Nezha to a large elephant, the Xibo farmers get their ideas of rice field art from almost everything in life.
| A．It is so cool, isn’t it? |
| B．It also makes it possible to control the height of each plant. |
| C．In the past, the farmers just made use of different colors of rice plants to create their field art. |
| D．Our country is becoming stronger and stronger, isn’t it? |
| E．They’re part of a theme park. |
【推荐2】Today, there are 6 billion people on the earth. By the year 2050, there may be 8.5 billion.
One way to produce food is by growing plants. For thousands of years, farmers have made plants better. Every season, they pick the best plants for the next season. It works very slowly since 1983.
By changing the genetic material of a plant, it is possible to make new plants.
Rich countries produce GM foods because they are easy to grow and bring in more money.
根据材料内容，从下面五个选项中选出能填入文中空缺处的最佳选项，使文章意思通顺、 内容完整。
| A．In 2050, we may think differently about them. |
| B．They make plants which are strong against plant diseases. |
| C．Scientists have been able to change plants more quickly by changing their genetic material. |
| D．There will be a lot of people to feed. |
| E．Poor countries are interested in them because they help produce more food. |
【推荐3】Have you ever wanted to grow some vegetables at home? Spinach (菠菜) is a great choice. It grows easily throughout the year.
When should you plant spinach?
Spinach can grow in temperatures as low as -7℃, but that’s not good for its growth. Spinach grows best in temperatures between 15℃ and 27℃. Temperatures above 29℃ can influence its taste.
Where should you grow spinach?
*Pot size: A pot of 15 to 20cm deep would be the best. Depending on your space, it can be as wide as you want.
*Earth: For growing spinach in pots, use a mix rich in nutrients (营养) .
Make sure it won’t take in water easily.
*Space: Give each spinach plant 7cm of space. If you want large leaves, give each plant a little more space.
*Position: If you are growing spinach in fall and winter, keep the plants in a sunny place. Make sure they receive at least four hours of direct sunlight every day. For spring and summer planting, put your plants in a place without much sunlight, especially in the afternoon.
▲____
*Watering: Keep the earth not too wet. Avoid watering the leaves.
*Fertilizing (施肥): To grow healthy spinach, you need to use a slow-release fertilizer. It will provide nutrients slowly.
When can you harvest (收获)?
Spinach grows quickly. You can harvest when the plant has at least five healthy leaves(7-10 cm in length), usually within one month.
根据材料内容选择最佳答案。
1. What temperature is the best for spinach to grow?| A．-7℃. | B．10℃. | C．20℃. | D．29℃. |
| A．Earth. | B．Space. | C．Pot size. | D．Position. |
| A．What do you need to grow spinach? |
| B．Why do you grow spinach at home? |
| C．How often should you water spinach? |
| D．How should you take care of your spinach? |
| A．The young who prefer taking risks. |
| B．The women who like doing exercise. |
| C．The old who are into outdoor activities. |
| D．The students who are in the gardening club. |
| A．An instruction. | B．An ad. | C．A report. | D．A review. |
