Cities around the world are racing to become “smart”. It’s just like a classroom full of hard-working students. Take Toronto, Canada, for example. Tech company Google has made public a 1,500-page plan. It is going to remake two neighborhoods with things like snow-melting roads.
To build smart cities, we need lots of new technologies, such as robots and artificial intelligence (AI). These technologies will lead to safer and more efficient (效率高的) cities. However, they will also raise questions about privacy.
But there is a more serious problem: Smart cities will be difficult to manage.
As we know, tech products are sometimes unreliable (不可靠的). The Internet and our computers break down regularly (经常). Tech products also age quickly. Only a few years into their lives, problems may become commoner and commoner.
In smart cities, many basic systems and services, such as water services, are based on such tech products. What if they break down regularly? Can you imagine the result?
New technologies in 2020 will be outdated before 2025. If we use smart technologies widely in cities, we will need to be prepared to replace them every few years. But who would want to pay this bill?
The most important problem is whether having a smart city will make us better at solving urban problems. Smart technologies can’t solve problems on their own. Suppose AI programs discover a road that needs to be repaired. It still requires people to show up with asphalt (沥青) and a steamroller (蒸汽压路机), doesn’t it?
As an engineer, I think smart technologies should have a place in cities. However, that place is not everywhere. For many of our urban (城市的) problems, we don’t really need the latest technologies. The best of the old ideas work better.
1. At the beginning of the passage, the writer uses the metaphor (比喻句) to _______.| A．help the readers understand better | B．make the language more beautiful |
| C．express his opinions | D．raise the readers’ interest |
| A．Invent snow-melting roads. | B．Make the company more efficient. |
| C．Remake two neighborhoods in Toronto. | D．Make public a plan for rebuilding Toronto. |
| A．The best of old ideas. | B．Lots of new technologies. |
| C．Asphalt and steamrollers. | D．The Internet and computers. |
| A．not as efficient as imagined | B．easier to manage |
| C．safe and convenient | D．harmful to the environment |
| A．tech products break down regularly in smart cities |
| B．it is difficult and expensive to manage a smart city |
| C．smart technologies can’t solve problems on their own |
| D．many new technologies become outdated within five years |
相似题推荐
【推荐1】A lot of great inventions have made our life easier. Do you know that in the beginning some of them not used in our daily life?
Water purification(净化) system | In the 1960s, NASA created a way to purify astronaut’s drinking water by adding silver ions(银离子) into spacecraft’s(航天的) water supply system. This technology is now widely used to help keep the water in swimming pools clean. |
Camera phones | In the 1990s, a team at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory(JPL) worked to create cameras small enough to fit on spacecraft. Now lots of cameras use this technology, which makes camera phones possible. |
Memory foam(海绵) | It was developed by NASA in the 1970s to help make pilots’ seats more comfortable. Today memory foam is used to make more comfortable beds, chairs, sofas and even shoes. |
Freeze-dried(冻干) food | NASA did a lot of research on space food. One important thing was that they found a way of keeping food-freeze-drying. It keeps 98% of the nutrients(营养物) of the food, but the food weighs about 80% less. Now freeze- dried food is often used by campers and included in emergency kits(应急包) |
| A．1960s | B．1970s | C．1980s | D．1990s |
| A．Memory foam | B．Small cameras | C．Freeze-dried food | D．Water purification |
| A．Pilots | B．Campers | C．Doctors | D．Swimmers |
| A．98% | B．80% | C．20% | D．2% |
【推荐2】Inventions usually make a big difference to people’s lives. Do you have any great inventions at home? Do they help you a lot in your life or bring you much fun? Here are some of the most useful inventions in families according to a survey.
 | The most helpful and creative invention for kids is the reading pen. With the specially-designed pen, kids find it convenient and fun to learn. Little kids can learn a lot including story-telling, poems and music. They start learning by touching the contents in the books with the pen. This way kids can learn by themselves. They are also great helpers for primary school students after school. |
 | Mopping robots (扫地机器人) are popular with people who are too busy to do housework. They are more popular with office ladies. They can help people clean dirt, dust and hair easily. With the help of them, people don’t need to spend much time on housework. They can enjoy a more relaxing life after work. |
 | As for old people, an electric foot basin (电动洗脚盆) is the best invention. It’s a good choice to buy one for your grandparents. It can help keep their blood pressure normal and improve blood circulation (循环). The special basin can keep the water warm. So washing feet with it will help old people become healthier and more relaxed. |
1. It is ________ for kids to learn with the reading pen.
| A．boring | B．convenient | C．difficult | D．disappointed |
| A．at school | B．in the office | C．at home | D．in the park |
3. Mopping robots are more popular with ________.
| A．kids | B．office ladies | C．old people | D．teenagers |
| A．using the electric foot basin |
| B．listening to music with the reading pen |
| C．enjoying the mopping machine working |
| D．learning a lot including story-telling, poems and music |
| A．An electric foot basin is the best invention for young people. |
| B．It’s dangerous for kids to use the reading pen alone. |
| C．Mopping robots can help people forget their busy life. |
| D．The water won’t get cold when the electric foot basin is used. |
【推荐3】Three-two-one, fire!
At the moment of 9:43 a.m., on Tuesday, June 23rd, 2020, at the Xichang Satellite Launch Center (卫星发射中心) in Sichuan Province, the last satellite of the third-generation network (第三代导航系统) was sent into space. It is the 55th member in the family of Beidou. It belongs to China’s Beidou Navigation Satellite System (BDS北斗卫星导航系统). So far, 59 satellites, including the first four test ones, have been launched from Xichang. With the development of China, we have already owned three other famous satellite launch centers-Jiuquan, Taiyuan and Wenchang.
After a period of tests in space, this new satellite has started to work with other Beidou satellites together. It is designed to work for at least 12 years. So far, China has completed the third-generation network of China’s BDS. It was a new milestone in the nation’s space research work. The launch showed our country has completed our largest space-based system. It’s one of four global (全球的) navigation networks, including the United States’ GPS, Russia’s GLONASS and the European Union’s Galileo.
BDS has been widely used as public resources (资源) in our daily life. It has been shared by the whole world. It will provide more services around the world. BDS is the common wealth of the development of human beings.
1. Where did China launch the last satellite of the third-generation network?| A．Xichang, | B．Jiuquan. | C．Wenchang. | D．Taiyuan. |
| A．45. | B．55. | C．59. | D．114. |
| A．记录 | B．事业 | C．里程碑 | D．起点 |
| A．China | B．Russia | C．the United States | D．the European Union |
| A．The last satellite of BDS was launched at 9:43 p.m., June 23rd, 2020. |
| B．The new satellite is designed to work for at most 12 years. |
| C．BDS is shared only by China as public resources. |
| D．So far, China has completed the third-generation network of China’s BDS. |
Recently， a British survey found that electronic（电子的） products in teenagers'bedrooms are affecting（影响） their sleep．
The survey was done among 1，000 British kids from 12 to 16．It found that 30% of them got just 4 to 7 hours of sleep every day． But doctors say they need 8 to 9 hours．
Almost a quarter of the kids said they fell asleep more than once a week while watching TV， listening to music or using other electronic products．
"This is very worrying，"said Dr． Chris Idzikowski， a British expert，"We call it ‘junk sleep'． It means you don't get enough sleep and the quality of the sleep is bad， too．If you don't get a good rest， you don't perform well in school the next day．"
The survey found that 40% of the kids felt tired each day， with girls between 13 and 16 feeling the worst． Nearly all the teenagers have a cellphone， an iPad or a TV in their bedrooms．And many of them have all the three．
1. This passage is mainly about ．
| A．junk sleep |
| B．junk food |
| C．electronic products |
| D．the importance of sleep |
| A．200 |
| B．300 |
| C．500 |
| D．1，000 |
| A．they are both low in quality |
| B．they are both produced in factories |
| C．people enjoy both in their spare time |
| D．they are both good for people's health |
| A．Parents watch TV together with their children． |
| B．Make teenagers not use any electronic product． |
| C．Make teenagers limit（限制） their use of the electronic products． |
| D．The use of cellphone and iPad is not allowed at school． |
【推荐2】A city without cars would be very strange, right? Venice is such a city.
Venice is in the northeast of Italy. It wasn't built on land, like Beijing or Shanghai, but on more than 110 islands. Seawater is everywhere around the city.
Even so, travel isn't difficult. The waterways have always been the best ways to get around. There are 117 waterways and more than 400 bridges that can guide you where you want to go.
People in Venice move from place to place by boat. They like to enjoy the scenery and cool summer nights while taking boat trips. They can talk to other people as they go along.
Venice grew out of small islands in saltwater lakes when some Italians escaped from a war more than 1,500 years ago, and built homes there.
Water makes the city special, but it is also a big problem.
Once, people used too much underground water. This made the city get lower little by little. Now the city has gone down by 23 centimeters. Another problem is the rising seawater. The temperature has risen over the years. This has made the ice of the Arctic Ocean(北冰洋)melt(融化).
Every year, high waters hit the city in autumn and winter. When a lot of water comes, more than half of the city is underwater.
Scientists are trying different ways to stop the city from getting even lower.
1. Where is Venice?| A．In Italy. | B．In Canada. | C．In England. | D．In America. |
| A．On foot. | B．By boat. | C．By car. | D．By bike. |
| A．Summer and autumn. | B．Autumn and winter. | C．Summer and winter. | D．Spring and winter. |
【推荐3】Inventions That Will Make Your Life Easier
LynQ | | Getting separated from friends or a family member at a music festival can be a real headache. LynQ helps you find your loved ones when you get separated from the group. Unlike your smart phones, this small thing does not need any WiFi to stay connected. It is a great tool for family vacations. |
HabitAware |
| A common new year’s resolution centers around the idea of kicking some kind of bad habit. HabitAware is here to make your life a little easier. The beautiful little thing vibrates anytime it catches you falling into the bad habit you are trying to break. |
Philips Somneo |
| The company Philips has something to help you get up earlier in 2020. The Phillips Somneo is here to help you wake up better without very annoying sounds of a traditional alarm clock. It creates what is like a natural sunrise each morning,while helping with your sleeping habits. |
Eargo |
| The American company is here to add a little excitement to the hearing aid market. With 48 million Americans having hearing problems, the team hopes that their easy-to-use comfortable product will give these people the ability to hear again. |
1. Which of the following can help find family members?
| A．Philips Somneo | B．HabitAware |
| C．Eargo | D．LynQ |
| A．For finding your loved ones. |
| B．For helping correct your bad habits. |
| C．For helping you with your sleeping habits. |
| D．For helping people listen better. |
| A．It helps them form a good sleeping habit. |
| B．Its natural light helps them sleep better. |
| C．It wakes up its users in a nice way. |
| D．Its noise helps them get up early. |
| A．It has better sound. |
| B．It’s a bit hard to use. |
| C．It already has 48 users. |
| D．It helps people hear better. |
| A．website for traveling |
| B．A story about science |
| C．A magazine of technology |
| D．A book on American culture |
