1 . A humanoid robot can relay video and touch sensations to a person wearing a haptic (触觉内) feedback suit and a virtual reality (VR) headset hundreds of kilometres away, offering away for people to attend events without travelling.
The iCub 3 robot is a 52-kilogram, 125-centimetre-tall robot with 54 joints across its body. Its head contains two cameras where a human’s eyes would be, and an Internet-connected computer where the brain would go. Along with the cameras, sensors covering its body send data to the robot’s “brain”. These sensations are then reproduced on a suit and VR headset worn by a remote human operator.
When the operators react to what they see and feel, the suit’s sensors pick up the movements and the robot matches them. “The key is to translate every signal and bit of digital data that can be sent through the network.” says Stefano Dafarra, who was part of the iCub3 team. There can be a small delay of up to 100 milliseconds to capture and transmit the visual shots, but the operator can case this by moving slightly slower than normal.
The team demonstrated the robot at the Venice Biennale, where it wandered through an exhibition while its operator stood 290 kilometres away in Genoa. Dafarra hopes people will use the iCub3 to attend events remotely, reducing the need to travel. “But at present, a fall could be hugely damaging to the robot, and it’s uncertain whether it could stand up again on its own," he says.
“iCub3 is an interesting robot and offers clear advantages from the previous versions.” says Jonathan Aitken, whose laboratory owns a prior version of the robot. However, he is disappointed that the team wasn’t clear in its research about the data transmission requirements of the new version of the robot. “It would be good to know just how much data was required, and what the upper and lower bounds were.” he says.
1. What’s the principle behind the humanoid robot?A.It conveys sensations to the wearer and acts accordingly. |
B.It receives commands from an operator through the Internet. |
C.The cameras take pictures and then interact with the sensors. |
D.The computer in the robot processes the data and gives orders. |
A.Medical consultation. | B.Sports events. |
C.Outdoor workouts. | D.Virtual tourism. |
A.It fails to appeal to potential investors. |
B.Its performance hasn’t been evaluated clearly. |
C.Its present version still requires to be updated. |
D.Its transmission of data came across technical problems. |
A.Humanoid robots with sense of touch catch on |
B.iCub 3 robot combines with VR to benefit more people |
C.Humanoid robots let people see and feel things remotely |
D.New advances in technology enable people to travel at work |
2 . Imagine suddenly waking up at midnight,
I guess it may have been in part the
After much
However, life
In conclusion, this is what I would like to say —when in trouble, reach out for help, talk to family and friends, your doctor or a counsellor. Take time to take care of yourself, you are worth the
A.struggling | B.searching | C.begging | D.waiting |
A.cause | B.result | C.price | D.condition |
A.anxious | B.practical | C.temporary | D.urgent |
A.pressure | B.emphasis | C.effect | D.limit |
A.found | B.displayed | C.occupied | D.enjoyed |
A.concern | B.surprise | C.puzzle | D.guilt |
A.suggested | B.recognized | C.claimed | D.guaranteed |
A.complaint | B.debate | C.preparation | D.resistance |
A.went | B.worked | C.behaved | D.reacted |
A.slid | B.threw | C.rolled | D.sank |
A.ignored | B.ensured | C.robbed | D.disturbed |
A.left out | B.pointed out | C.reached out | D.passed out |
A.approaches | B.disciplines | C.assumptions | D.patterns |
A.permanently | B.potentially | C.smoothly | D.thoroughly |
A.passion | B.freedom | C.strength | D.effort |
3 . Tokyo restaurant Sushiya no Nohachi reportedly serves great sushi, but it is most famous for its gimmick—making the world’s smallest sushi with a single grain of rice.
Located in Asakusa, a slightly quieter part of Tokyo, Sushiya no Nohachi is the place to go if you want to enjoy the tiniest, most adorable sushi in the world. Each piece is made with only a grain of rice and a tiny slice of topping wrapped in the thinnest piece of nori(海苔). Every served piece is actually perfect, which hints at the amount of work and patience that Bes into making them. They are the work of Hironori Ikeno, the chef of Sushiya no Nohachi, who came up with the idea in 2002 when a client asked him how small he could make his sushi. He answered, “as small as a grain of rice”, and proceeded to demonstrate that he wasn’t kidding. Over the years, the restaurant has become internationally famous for making the world’s smallest sushi.
Despite its size, miniature sushi actually takes a bit longer to make than regular-sized me, because of the precision and concentration required to put the tiny ingredients together. That is part of the reason why the restaurant only prepares tiny sushi for customers a few times a week and no more than five times a day, although they do sometimes make exceptions for foreign visitors who travel to the restaurant just to experience the world’s smallest sushi.
“I had a client from Sweden who came just to see my tiny sushi and the moment she saw it, she literally cried with joy.” Hironori Ikeno said.
Interestingly, one cannot simply order the tiny sushi at the restaurant. It is served for f re upon request with a regular-sized sushi course. Considering the sushi served at this place is reportedly delicious, you should probably be more excited about that. Plus, it also justifies the gimmick that the restaurant is so famous for.
1. What does the underlined word “gimmick” in paragraph 1 probably refer to?A.A class to teach cooking skills. |
B.A trick to attract customers. |
C.A plan to promote the sushi. |
D.A dish to win over opponents. |
A.His pursuit for perfection. |
B.The curiosity of a customer. |
C.The requirement from his boss. |
D.A bet he made with others. |
A.Take more time to make one |
B.Unpopular among customers |
C.costs more money to buy one |
D.needs more expensive materials |
A.Diversity of the customers. |
B.His lack of experience. |
C.Special treatment to foreigners. |
D.His sense of achievement. |
4 . It was 1:20 a.m. I had just gone to bed, a bit
I was awakened by the
Shaking in darkness, I
I took
In the end, I think the experience made me
A.relieved | B.drunk | C.excited | D.content |
A.stones | B.sandbags | C.wood | D.boxes |
A.in doubt | B.in advance | C.in turn | D.in case |
A.thundering | B.snowing | C.pouring | D.blowing |
A.roar | B.taste | C.rhythm | D.smell |
A.appearing | B.spreading | C.freezing | D.rising |
A.grabbed | B.charged | C.dropped | D.studied |
A.realize | B.guess | C.see | D.check |
A.extremely | B.violently | C.narrowly | D.certainly |
A.get out | B.check out | C.calm down | D.move out |
A.brave | B.immediate | C.determined | D.calculated |
A.fear | B.shock | C.stress | D.responsibility |
A.active | B.proud | C.grateful | D.amazed |
A.ask | B.assess | C.hear | D.follow |
A.loved | B.gained | C.survived | D.graduated |
5 . Edinburgh is famous for its many museums where you can learn its rich history.
Museum on the MoundLocated in the heart of Edinburgh’s city center, this appealing museum takes a fresh look at money — and much, much more. You will see coins and banknotes from over the ages, including the first Scottish banknote printed in 1727. There are also interesting interactive displays and you can even try your hand at opening a safe!
The Writers’ MuseumIt is housed in the beautiful Lady Stair’s House, a category A listed building. The collection celebrates the legacy (遗产) of Scotland’s literary contributions, with special emphasis given to Sir Walter Scott, Robert Louis Stevenson and Robert Burns. The museum is home to numerous paintings, books and manuscripts (手稿), and you can also see Burns’ writing desk and Scott’s chess set.
Our Dynamic EarthIt celebrates the beauty of the earth via technology. Interactive exhibits allow visitors to experience earthquakes, the ocean floor, ice ages and mountains by the use of computer software. Particularly interesting is the “tour” around the eleven Earthscapes. It is educational fun for the whole family and can serve as a good introduction to concepts surrounding the formation of the planet and the creatures we share the earth with.
National Museum of ScotlandThe diverse collections here include the history of Scotland with exhibitions of international interest. The natural world, science and technology, discoveries, art, and world cultures are all explored. There are interactive elements and activities to suit children of all ages, including science experiments and musical instruments.
1. Which might be the most attractive to finance majors?A.Our Dynamic Earth. | B.Museum on the Mound. |
C.The Writers’ Museum. | D.National Museum of Scotland. |
A.They have an artistic atmosphere. | B.They have interactive exhibits. |
C.They provide hands-on activities. | D.They showcase world cultures. |
A.Play with your family. | B.Tour the world virtually. |
C.Design computer software. | D.Learn about ancient creatures. |
6 . Great whites, the largest predatory(捕食性的)sharks in the world with the most fatal attacks on humans, are tough to imagine as newborn babies. That is partially because no one has seen one in the wild, it seems, until now.
Wildlife filmmaker Carlos Gauna and UC Riverside biology doctoral student Phillip Sternes were scanning the waters for sharks on July 9, 2023, near Santa Barbara on California’s central coast. That day, something exciting appeared on the viewfinder of Gauna’s drone camera. It was a shark pup(幼崽)unlike any they’d ever seen.
“We enlarged the images, put them in slow motion, and realized the white layer was being shed(脱落)from the body as it was swimming,” Sternes said. “I believe it was a newborn white shark shedding its embryonic layer.”
These observations are documented in a new paper in the Environmental Biology of Fishes journal. What Gauna and Sternes observed could help solve the longstanding mystery of great white birthing habits. This may well be the first evidence we have of a pup in the wild. Great whites, referred to only as white sharks by scientists, are gray on the top and white on the bottom. But this roughly 5-foot-long shark was pure white.
Though the paper authors acknowledge it is possible that the white layer the shark shed could have been a skin condition, the two believe what they saw was in fact a newborn great white. First, great white females give birth to live pups. A second reason is the presence of large, likely pregnant great whites in this location. Finally, this location off the coast of central California has long been proposed as a birthing location for great whites. Many scholars believe great whites are born farther out at sea.
Great whites are listed as an international endangered species. “Further research is needed to confirm these waters are indeed a great white breeding ground. But if it does, we would want lawmakers to step in and protect these waters to help white sharks keep thriving,” Sternes said.
1. What do we know about what appeared on Carlo s Gauna’s camera?A.It is rare in the world. | B.It is tough to identify. |
C.It is not open to the public. | D.It is unbelievable to scientists. |
A.Pure gray. | B.White only on the bottom. |
C.Gray on the top. | D.Pure white. |
A.How great white females give birth to pups. |
B.How the authors prove they saw a baby shark. |
C.Why the authors believe they saw a newborn shark pup. |
D.Why the authors think the white layer is a skin condition. |
A.Helping white sharks to stop breeding. |
B.Using laws to protect shark pups and their habitats. |
C.Listing white sharks as endangered species. |
D.Further study to confirm white sharks breeding waters. |
7 . Moving to a foreign country is an amazing, life-changing experience. It’s a chance to meet new people, put yourself in a different culture and possibly learn another language. However, before such an adventure, there are some practical decisions that need to be made. One such decision is choosing where to live.
Will you stay in your own apartment where you can have your own space and privacy? Will you share a flat with other young foreigners who are in a similar position to you? Or will you choose to live with a host family? For me, choosing to live with a French family was the best choice I made, and here is why.
Firstly, a family can show you around the city or town and help you settle in, stopping you from feeling lonely. When you’re in a new environment, you might feel lost, tired and homesick — I know I did. However, my host family were wonderful and welcoming; they showed me which buses to take to get to work, cooked dinner for me, and took me with them on trips to the beach and the theatre. These were great chances to experience French culture and build relationships.
Above all, living with French people has helped me improve my language skills. Being constantly exposed to French conversations has allowed me to learn new phrases, widen my vocabulary and even improve my accent. My host family are happy to answer my questions and correct me when I say things wrong.
Finally, the experience of living abroad is one that you will not forget forever, and perhaps the friendships — like the memories — will also last. I hope to remain in contact with my host family long after I leave France because when I was away from my friends and loved ones, they welcomed me and made me part of their family.
1. What is the purpose of the author in writing the text?A.To introduce his host family. |
B.To share his life experience. |
C.To suggest the foreign life is quite attractive. |
D.To tell how to choose a living place in a foreign country. |
A.He could get a lot of help from the family. | B.He was afraid of living in a new environment. |
C.The family could help him get rid of his illness. | D.The family provided him with free meals every day. |
A.They cooked dinner for him. | B.They took him to the theatre. |
C.They showed him around the city. | D.They helped him improve his French. |
A.By making comparison. | B.By listing detailed reasons. |
C.By following the time order. | D.By following the order of importance. |
8 . Have you ever wondered about the universal layout (布局) of supermarkets? Smart designers are behind it, subtly tempting you to walk through each aisle and fill your cart without even realizing it.
Grocery store design is a carefully crafted art from both psychological and marketing standpoints, according to Reeves Connelly, who studied architectural design at the Pratt Institute. He explained there is a specific reason why fruit and vegetables are often located at the front of the store, “You’ll grab the fruits and vegetables first and then hopefully feel less guilty about buying junk food later on.” Meanwhile, essential items such as milk and eggs are placed at the back of the store to ensure customers walk through other aisles with many unhealthy options like snacks and sodas, potentially increasing the likelihood of impulse purchases.
There’s also a reason why you often feel lost in local supermarkets. Shockingly, they move things around. Reeves explained, “They are very much aware that these strategies become less effective after you visit the store a few times and get a better sense of where everything is, so they’ll regularly move the products to different aisles to confuse you. The practice is not limited to a specific store but is employed across various retail chains.”
“Their little tricks always work on me,” one regular shopper admits, “I walk in to get three things and end up spending $300; that’s why I hate grocery shopping,” he said. On the other hand, some shoppers are proud to declare they have never fallen into the trap. “That’s why I always keep a shopping list on me,” another shopper shared. “I’ve started having my groceries delivered. If I have to go to the store, I never grab a cart. If I can’t carry it, I’m not buying it,” he added.
1. What is the purpose of the supermarket layout?A.To encourage healthy lifestyle. | B.To save consumers’ shopping time. |
C.To provide multiple goods for choice. | D.To promote non-essential consumption. |
A.Distributing junk food in different areas. |
B.Putting milk and eggs at the back of aisles. |
C.Rearranging products in supermarkets regularly. |
D.Placing fruit and vegetables at the front of the store. |
A.Shopping baskets are better than heavy carts. |
B.Most shoppers are trapped in marketing tricks. |
C.Grocery delivery can help improve supermarket sales. |
D.Taking a shopping list can be a smart move to avoid impulse buying. |
A.A business magazine. | B.A psychology report. |
C.A research paper. | D.A shopping guidebook. |
9 . After years of writing papers and cramming for tests, many young travelers look forward to their cap toss and the celebratory trip, which serves the purpose of celebrating the completion of this phase of schooling.
Danube River, Europe
Experience Europe by booking your family on a Danube River Cruise to have a great trip with your college-age kids. You can visit eight cities in four different countries as you cruise from Germany to Hungary, having a peep into European history and culture.
New York City, New York
If your college-going kids are into theater, a visit to New York City’s Broadway will be the perfect family vacation destination you can gift them. There is some new show that’s happening there always and could even be on the bucket list of the young adults in your family!
London, England
If your young ones have been bitten by the Harry Potter bug, a visit to the Wizarding World in London will be irresistible for them. See Harry Potter and the Cursed Child in his West End home, and then proceed to the Palace Theatre.
Kruger National Park, South Africa
South Africa’s Kruger National Park covers nearly two million hectares of land with a wide diversity of life forms along with historical and archaeological sights. The Cape buffalo, African elephant, leopard, the fish eagle and Marula trees are within sight.
For more information, please refer to the chart below:
Ratings | Danube River, Europe | New York City, New York | London, England | Kruger National Park, South Africa |
Activities Attractions | 5/5 | 5/5 | 4/5 | 5/5 |
Affordability | 3/5 | 4/5 | 4/5 | 4/5 |
Safety | 4/5 | 3. 5/5 | 5/5 | 4/5 |
Accessibility | 3/5 | 5/5 | 5/5 | 4/5 |
Accommodation Options | 5/5 | 5/5 | 4/5 | 4/5 |
A.Danube River, Europe. | B.New York City, New York. |
C.London, England. | D.Kruger National Park, South Africa. |
A.Accommodation choices. | B.Financial costs. |
C.Personal security. | D.Transport system. |
A.Graduates. | B.Parents. | C.Travel bloggers. | D.Tour guides. |
10 . Monarch butterflies (帝王蝶) are edging dangerously close to extinction despite a decision late last year to remove the orange-and-black insects from the endangered species list, a new study has found.
An annual survey led by the World Wildlife Fund(WWF)of the species wintering in central Mexico found the second-lowest number of monarch butterflies on record, meaning they took up just 2.2 acres of regional forests, 59% less than during the 2022 — 2023 winter season. The findings are troubling to scientists determined to protect the species.
Each year, monarch butterflies migrate (迁徙) thousands of miles from southern Canada and the northern and central US to the mountain forests of central Mexico. They require a large and healthy forest to protect them from winds, rain and low temperatures in the areas where they migrate for winter. Yet because of heat and drought brought on by climate change, scientists say, their natural habitat is quickly depleting. Scientists with the WWF considered this winter season’s findings serious and said they represented the second-smallest area taken up by monarch butterflies in Mexico since 1993.
What’s worse, in recent years, their breeding areas in Canada and the US have seen a reduction in milkweed leaves where female monarch butterflies lay their eggs. “Land-use changes in the United States, combined with the widespread use of chemicals, also contributed to the loss of milkweed and other plants that adult monarch butterflies feed on,” the WWF said.
Monarch butterflies play an important role in maintaining plant ecosystems and are also an important food source for birds, small animals and other insects, according to the National Park Service. It’s necessary that all governments, communities, scientists, and others continue to strengthen our protection efforts to support their unique migration.
1. Why do monarch butterflies fly to central Mexico each year?A.To spend winter. | B.To lay eggs. |
C.To search for shelter. | D.To escape from enemies. |
A.Shifting. | B.Disappearing. | C.Recovering. | D.Increasing. |
A.The loss of food sources. |
B.The widespread use of chemicals. |
C.The land-use changes in the United States. |
D.The threat of being eaten by other animals. |
A.To raise people’s awareness about climate change. |
B.To call for more measures to protect monarch butterflies. |
C.To inform people of the serious situation of monarch butterflies. |
D.To prove monarch butterflies should be on the endangered species list. |