1 . People began to make robots about several hundred years ago. In the past, some of the early ones looked like animals or humans. However, they couldn’t talk and were pretty dumb. They worked like clocks and did the same things over and over again.
Now modern robots don’t always look like people. Some are like big machines; others are nothing but long arms attached to boxy(箱子般四四方方的)bodies. However, modern robots are smart. Some can solve problems on their own. Their brains are computers and their eyes are sensors(传感器). Motors(发动机)help them move.
In the future, robots will learn from their mistakes more than they do now. They will be smarter. It’s possible that we will have robot judges, robot household workers, and robot factory workers. Robots will help people to do more things.
1. How long is the history of robots?

A．Hundreds of years.

B．Several hundred years.

C．Seven hundred years.

D．A hundred year.

2. What’s the possible meaning of dumb?

A．Talking like people.	B．Clever.
C．Unintelligent (迟钝).	D．Cute.

3. Most robots look like people ______ .

A．in the past	B．clever
C．in the future	D．all the time

4. Which of the following is NOT true about modern robots?

A．Some robots can solve problems on their own.

B．Some robots are like big machines.

C．Modern robots are smart.

D．Some robots’ brains are sensors.

5. What can’t robots do in the future according to the passage?

A．They can help people do housework.

B．They can work as judges.

C．They can work in the factory.

D．They can have brains as people.

2 . Have you noticed your life becoming a little easier? Now, when you go to a certain shopping mall, you can enjoy its free Wi-Fi there. When you want to take a taxi, you can book one with your phone. In fact, all these can be seen as the basic parts of a smart city.
The idea of a smart city was brought up by US company IBM in 2010. Generally, a smart city is a city that uses digital technologies such as the Internet to improve city planning, save money and resources, and make our life convenient. How smart can a city be? Here are great examples that we can learn from.
In 2009, Dubuque became the first smart city in the US. The city used smart water meters to take the place of traditional water meters. They can detect（探测）water waste and leakage（泄漏）and send data to let the house owner know. The same system is used for other city resources like electricity and natural gas. This way, people know how they use their resources and are glad to help reduce waste.
Santander in Spain also gives us a look at the future. If people point a phone toward a nearby bus stop, the phone immediately shows all bus lines that serve the stop as well as their arrival times. The government organized a research team and provided an App（应用程序）that collects data on almost everything: light, temperature, and the movements of cars and people. Opening the App near a supermarket provides immediate information on special things.

1. According to the passage, which of the following is RIGHT?

A．Digital technologies are used in smart cities.

B．An English company first raised the idea of a smart city.

C．A smart city is mainly made up of free Wi-Fi and phones.

D．A smart city is still an idea and hasn’t come into being.

2. The underlined word “convenient” is the closest in meaning to _____.

A．useful

B．normal

C．suitable

D．easy

3. Compared to traditional water meters, smart water meters do better in _____.

A．cleaning water	B．supplying water
C．saving water	D．producing water

4. The example of Santander shows the use of smart systems in aspects（方面）EXCEPT _____.

A．business	B．health care
C．traffic controlling	D．public transportation

5. What’s the main idea of the passage?

A．Digital technologies help improve city planning.

B．Smart cities will make our future life better and smarter.

C．Smart cities are very common in both Dubuque and Santander.

D．Spain and the US take the leading position in building smart cities.

3 . The Internet, mobile phones and Ipads are part of our lives now. Technology is greatly affecting all ways of our lives, from the ways we work to the ways we play. And it even causes a number of social problems such as cloning humans.

We have had lots of technology and it has changed our lives a lot. There is no doubt that humans will continue to use more and more technology. Here are some examples of modern technology that will change our ideas and will affect our lives greatly.

Global positioning system(GPS)(全球定位系统)

It’s a system that uses radio signals from satellites to show exact(精确的) information. It tells you where the user is on the earth in all weather conditions. It’s made up of three parts：satellites, control equipments(设备) on land and receivers.

Space Technology

Russian and American scientists have worked together for the international Space Station(ISS) for a long time. They hope the ISS will provide a long-lasting lab. Such a lab will bring humans limitless(无限的) advantages. It’s even hoped that one day space technology will take humans to their new houses in space.

Underwater Robot

Hercules is a kind of underwater robot with some high technology equipments. It will be used to search for ancient ships which were destroyed into the deep sea during their journey long ago.

The world is changing so quickly that it’s hard for us to catch up with all the new inventions because they seem to come out every month. It’s important for us to learn about new technology and the role that it plays in our lives. So we should be willing to accept modern technology, or we will fall behind the times.

1. _______ can tell you where the user is on the earth exactly.

A．Satellites

B．Receivers

C．Global Positioning System

D．Underwater Robot

2. According to the passage, which is NOT true about the ISS?

A．It has carried people to other planets.

B．It will provide a long-lasting lab for us.

C．Russian and American are working for it.

D．Humans will get a lot of advantages from it.

3. Hercules is used to _______.

A．save lives in the sea

B．take picture in the sea

C．repair the broken ships

D．look for the ancient ships in the sea

4. From the passage, we know that _______.

A．the use of GPS is affected by the weather conditions

B．it’s very important for us to learn about new technology

C．it’s easy for us to catch up with all the new inventions

D．technology brings us many advantages such as cloning humans

5. What is the purpose of the passage?

A．To help us study some new technology.

B．To tell us technology is changing the world.

C．To help solve the problems that technology causes.

D．To remind us the advantages of technology are limitless.

4 . The technology is improving every year. We will see some very exciting home robots in the next few years. In the future the robots can do lots of things.
1. Getting things

In a few years, it will be possible to tell your home robot to get a piece of bread for you.

The robot will use its eyes and an arm to get the bread for you.
2. Watering plants

Future robots will carry water to water plants.

3. Telling dangers(危险)

A home robot will find out fire, smoke(烟）and other dangers easily. Every night the robot will make its rounds to make sure that everything is right.

4. Looking after children

A robot will help us look after our children well while we are not at home.

1. A robot will get something for you with______.

A．a hand	B．eyes and a leg
C．an arm	D．eyes and an arm

2. What does the phrase “make its rounds” mean in Chinese?

A．转圈

B．巡查

C．工作   . 制作

3. What will robots do when people are not at home?

A．Robots will do housework with the children.

B．Robots will cook for the children.

C．Robots will look after the children.

D．Robots will smoke with the children.

4. What doesn't this passage tell us the robots will do?

A．Carry heavy things.	B．Look after children.
C．Look after plants.	D．Get things for people

5. What does the passage talk about?

A．The habit of robots	B．The dream of robots
C．The future of robots	D．The life of robots

5 . We humans live in different parts of the world, but we have the same “mother”. She gives us everything we need in our daily life. She is our Mother Earth. Everybody wants to live in a green city. A green city is a healthy and pleasant place for people to live in. It can get its energy from something like solar and wind power. Also, it is connected by clean public transportation.

The Hyperloop (超级高铁) The Hyperloop is a high-speed transportation. It works by having capsules (舱) with passengers in. The capsules run on the air. The Hyperloop plans to run from Los Angeles to San Francisco. With an average speed of 962 km per hour, it is only 35 minutes between the two cities. The solar panels (板) provide power to the Hyperloop.

Smart Wheel Smart Wheel is a bicycle wheel with a motor. This invention can easily fit onto almost any bike. And the motor allows bikes to travel up to 50km once. Smart Wheel is different from other electric bikes. It can be controlled through your smartphone’s Bluetooth. The smartphone can show your speed, distance and travel time.

Solar Sidewalk (太阳能步道) George Washington University made a special path in 2013. The path is about 9 square meters. It is covered with solar panels that can provide energy to power 450 LED lights. These lights can light the walkway after dark. The solar panel is also strong enough for people to walk on.

1. A green city is ________.

A．clean and tidy

B．full of plants

C．healthy and pleasant

D．rich for energy

2. It is ________ from Los Angeles to San Francisco.

A．About 962 km.	B．About 560 km.
C．About 700 km.	D．About 450 km.

3. About Smart Wheel, which is Not right?

A．It can travel 50km once.

B．It can fit onto almost any bike.

C．It’s a motorbike with a bicycle wheel.

D．The smartphone’s Bluetooth can control it.

4. What can solar panels do?

A．They can run on the air.

B．They can provide energy.

C．They can carry passengers.

D．They can show your travel time.

5. What do you think of the public transportation?

A．Modern and clean.

B．Green and dangerous.

C．Exciting and crazy.

D．Expensive and impossible.