1 . A joint research team recently have developed a new electronic skin that is similar to human skin in strength, durability(耐久性) and sensitivity. The skin or e-skin may play an important role in next-generation personalized medicine, soft robotics and artificial intelligence.
“The ideal e-skin will mimic(模仿) the many natural functions of human skin, such as sensing temperature and touch, accurately and in real time,” says leading researcher Yichen Cai. However, making suitably flexible electronics that can perform such delicate tasks while also used repeatedly is challenging, and each material involved must be carefully engineered.
Most e-skins are made by putting an active sensor on the surface that attaches to human skin. However, the connection between them is often too weak, which reduces the durability and sensitivity of the material; otherwise, if it is too strong, it won’t be flexible enough, making it more likely to break the circuit.
“The landscape of skin electronics keeps shifting at a remarkable pace,” says Cai. “The discovery of 2D sensors has accelerated efforts to turn these quite thin but strong materials into functional, durable artificial skins.”
The new man-made skin built by the researchers could sense objects from 20 centimeters away. It could further make a quick response when touched in less than one tenth of a second. “ It is a striking achievement for an e-skin to maintain toughness after repeated use,” said Shen, “which mimics the softness and rapid recovery of human skin.”
This type of e-skin could monitor a range of biological information, such as changes in blood pressure, which can be detected from movements of arms and legs. This data can then be shared and stored on the cloud via Wi-Fi.
“One remaining problem to the widespread use of e-skins lies in mass production of high-resolution sensors,” adds group leader Vincent Tung “ however, the latest technology offers new promise. ”
1. What’s the feature of the new e-skin?| A．It can store information. | B．It’s quite hard and tough. |
| C．It’s flexible and sensitive. | D．It can replace human skin. |
| A．To stress the challenges of making e-skins. |
| B．To introduce the popularity of e-skins. |
| C．To show the process of making e-skins. |
| D．To compare the similarity between e-skins. |
| A．Adjust the blood pressure. | B．Recover the wounded skin. |
| C．Work as a remote controller. | D．Sense the outside temperature. |
| A．A Breakthrough in Hi-tech | B．Man-made Skin, Improved |
| C．E-skin, A Promising Business | D．The Widespread Use of E-skin |
2 . Welcome to the Sydney Opera House
Ticket Info and Guided Tours
Visitors can enjoy the Sydney Opera House foyer for free, but for a more insightful visit, you'll need to book a tour.
There are several different ways to experience the Sydney Opera House, and multiple tours are available including back-stage passes and walking tours.
Tour Type Adult （AUD $ ） Child
Guided Walking Tour $ 42 $ 22
Guided Walking Tour + Dinner $ 73 $ 52
Guided Walking Tour + Tasting Plate $ 82.20 $ 64. 80
Backstage Tour $ 175 $ 175
Opening Hours and the Best Time to Visit
The Sydney Opera House is open year-round with the following opening hours：
● Monday—Saturday ： 9am—8 ： 30pm
●Sunday： 9am—5pm
As for the best time of day, it's recommended to book the earliest Sydney Opera House tour of the day to beat the crowds. To enjoy sunny weather with fewer crowds, try visiting in the shoulder season (October, November, February, or March )
Points of Interest
●The Steps
Before entering the Opera House, take a picture of the building from the steps outside.
●The Sails
Step beneath the sails on a guided tour and enjoy harbor front views.
●The Concert Hall
The Concert Hall is the largest venue with seats for more than 2000 people. It features contemporary live music shows and highly -regarded orchestral (管弦乐的)performances. It is also here that you will find the world's largest mechanical tracker-action pipe organ.
● Opera Bar
After your tour, head to the Opera Bar for a bite to eat or drink in the sun.
● Badu Gili
Badu Gili, which is ‘water light’ in the language of the Gadigal people-takes place most evenings after sunset at 9pm, 9：30pm, and 10pm. The seven-minute display is free to view.
1. How much will a guided walking tour for two adults cost?| A．$ 64. | B．$ 84. | C．$ 128, | D．$ 168. |
| A．9：30 am, a Monday in February. | B．10：00 am, a Sunday in December. |
| C．5：00 pm, a Friday in September. | D．6：00 pm, a Saturday in March. |
| A．A local language. | B．A pipe organ. | C．A light show. | D．A dinning area. |
3 . A 3-year-old boy called Casey who was lost in the woods for two days is now safe at home with his family. But he told his rescuers that he was not alone in the rainy, freezing cold woods. He said he was with a friend — a bear.
The child went missing on January 22 while playing with friends at his grandfather’s house in the southern state of North Carolina. When the other children returned to the house and Casey did not, the family searched the area for almost an hour before calling the police.
Police formed a search and rescue team to look for the young boy in the nearby woods. But two days went by and still no Casey.
Then on January 24, someone called the police saying they heard a child crying in the woods. Police followed up on the information and found Casey at about 9:30 that night. They pulled him out of some briar (多刺野灌木). He was in good health.
Casey told the rescuers that he had hung out with a black bear for two days, a bear he called his “friend”.
Officer Hughes spoke with reporters from several agencies. He said Casey did not say how he was able to survive the woods for three days in the cold, rainy weather. However, he said, “Casey did say he had a friend in the woods that was a bear. And at no point do I think he was taken away illegally.”
Doctors at Carolina East Medical Center treated Casey for minor injuries. He was then released to his family on January 25.
His mother Brittany Hathaway talked with reporters from a local news agency and thanked everyone who joined in the search and rescue efforts.
“We just want to tell everybody that we’re very grateful that you took the time out to come search for Casey and prayed for him, and he’s good,” said his mother. “He is good, he is up and talking. He’s already asked to watch Netflix.”
1. What happened to Casey?| A．He was ignored by his friends. | B．He went missing in the woods. |
| C．He was attacked by a bear. | D．He was wanted by the police. |
| A．How Casey managed to survive. | B．When he was successfully rescued. |
| C．Why he was seriously injured. | D．How many hours he was trapped. |
| A．His mother cared about him. | B．His mother was very grateful. |
| C．Casey deserved a good rest. | D．Casey was in good condition. |
| A．survey | B．news report | C．advertisement | D．travel brochure |
4 . London Tour and Attraction Pass Tickets
Tickets to Attractions
With this London Attraction Pass, you can benefit from our sightseeing bus tour plus three top London attractions—Madame Tussauds, London Eye and Sea Life London. The best part is that you don’t need to visit all three attractions in one day. Once you have bought your London attractions ticket package, you have 30 days to visit each attraction so you can spread visits out across your trip.
Gallery
So many amazing galleries in London! There are plenty of photo opportunities with the London Tour and Attraction Pass. With so many things to do, you’ll have lots of pictures to share with families and friends.
Plan Your Visit
With our London 72 hour Bus Ticket, you will be able to get to one attraction per day with ease. Your tickets are valid for entry within 30 days after you have bought them and you can use them before, after or on the same day as your bus tour.
Location
Madame Tussauds: Marylebone, next to Baker Street
London Eye: Southbank
Sea Life London: Southbank
Opening Times
Madame Tussauds: Times vary between 9 am—6 pm
London Eye: Times vary between 10 am—9:30 pm
Sea Life London: Opening times vary between 9:30 am—7 pm
Accessibility
Madame Tussauds: Wheelchair friendly but book your seat in advance.
London Eye: Only two wheelchairs per capsule and a maximum of 8 at any one time. You must book a disabled seat in advance.
Sea Life London. Full wheelchairs are accessible.
1. How long can London attractions ticket package be used?| A．30 days. | B．72 hours. | C．1 week. | D．24 hours. |
| A．Artworks. | B．Books. | C．Paintings. | D．Photos. |
| A．Visit London Eye after 10 pm. | B．Book a disabled seat in advance. |
| C．Buy a London 72 hour Bus Ticket. | D．Reach Marylebone as early as possible. |
5 . There are many oceans and lakes in the United States where you can gain unexpected experiences. Here are some of most stunning ones found throughout the United States.
Ocracoke Beach, North Carolina
Ocracoke Island has 16 miles of undeveloped sandy shoreline. It is a barrier island of the Outer Banks of North Carolina, and it is a part of the Cape Hatteras National Seashore. Ocracoke is fairly remote and can only be reached by public ferry, private boat or private plane. The beach is perfect for swimming, fishing, surfing, sunbathing, fishing and even camping. Certain portions of the beautiful sandy beach can be enjoyed by off-road vehicles.
Sand Beach, Maine
Located on Mt. Desert Island, Sand Beach offers visitors to Maine an amazing beach destination. Visitors to Acadia National Park have the opportunity to enjoy all of the beauty and excitement of this park. This beach is wonderfully sandy and is even a safe place to enjoy swimming. Bordered on both sides by rocky headlands, visitors can also appreciate the tide pools as well as some unique wildlife living in the headlines.
Poipu Beach, Kauai, Hawaii
Widely considered to be one of the most beautiful beaches in the United States if not the world, Poipu Beach is located on the south shore of Kauai and is part of Poipu Beach Park. The beach is composed of a string of golden sandy crescent shaped beaches. Visitors to Poipu can have hours of fun snorkeling, boogie- boarding, swimming, and surfing. The best surfing spots are located slightly offshore, the reef establishes wavebreaks which make good surfing for surfers of all experience levels.
South Ocean Beach, Mary land
Located on the fascinating Assateague Island, South Ocean Beach is a beautiful Atlantic coast beach. This shoreline is drivable, giving visitors the opportunities to enjoy all the miles of the beach and all of the activities of the beach, South Ocean Beach even offers some fantastic surfing conditions in the region as well.
1. What can visitors do when they’re in Sand Beach, Maine?| A．Enjoy rare species. | B．Go camping. |
| C．Take a walk. | D．Watch a game. |
| A．On foot. | B．Hiring a ferry. |
| C．By car. | D．Riding a bike. |
| A．Bird watchers. | B．Beach lovers. |
| C．Fashion designers. | D．Landscape architects. |
6 . The secret to happiness is keeping busy, research has found.
Keeping the mind occupied with tasks — no matter how meaningless — keeps off negative emotions, the study found.
However, the bad news is that humans are seemingly born to be lazy in order to save energy, according to Professor Christoper Hsee, a behavioral scientist at Chicago University.
In a study, 98 students were asked to complete two surveys. After they had completed the first, they were made to wait 15 minutes to receive the next one. They were given a choice of either handing in the first survey nearby or at a more distant location they had to walk to. Whichever option they chose, they received a chocolate bar. It turned out that approximately two-thirds (68 students) chose the lazy option. Those who had taken the walk reported feeling happier than those who had stayed put.
Prof. Hsee concluded that keeping busy helped keep people happy. He said the findings, reported in the journal Psychological Science, had policy implications.
“Governments may increase the happiness of idle citizens by having them build bridges that are actually useless,” he proposed.
At the individual level, he advised, “Get up and do something. Anything. Even if there really is no point to what you are doing, you will feel better for it.” He added, “Incidentally, thinking deeply or engaging in self-reflection counts as keeping busy, too.”
“You do not need to be running around. You just need to be engaged, either physically or mentally.”
1. Keeping busy can make people happy because________.| A．it can help people get rid of laziness | B．it can make people sleep better |
| C．it can help get rid of negative emotions | D．it can give people a sense of achievement |
| A．The finding may contribute to politics. |
| B．The officials have taken Prof. Hsee’s advice. |
| C．In the study half students handed in the first survey nearby. |
| D．Governments can increase citizens’ happiness by building bridges. |
| A．Everybody is born to be happy. |
| B．Only by keeping working all the time can you gain happiness. |
| C．Prof. Hsee’s finding was published in Psychological Science. |
| D．Keeping busy goes against human nature. |
| A．To explain what happiness is. |
| B．To advise people not to sit around. |
| C．To advise people to do what they like to. |
| D．To show people how to take life correctly. |
7 . When it comes to historical Italian coffee, you cannot help but talk of Venice. It is in this city that the tradition of coffee was born, and then spread to the rest of Italy.
Caffè Florian
Caffè Florian was founded in 1720. From then on, this elegant building has been characterized by its exclusive products and guests: here, noblemen, politicians and intellectuals would meet. Today, the café is an important cultural center where exhibitions are organized. But it remains an ideal place for tourists who simply want to enjoy an espresso sitting at a little table in the heart of Venice, a few steps from the Grand Canal.
Gran Caffè Quadri
Also in St. Mark’s Square, there is another historic café that since 1775 has earned an important place among the many.Gran Caffè Quadri represents the memory of centuries in the twilight(晚期) of the Republic of Venice, and the birth of the modern age, and the secrets of the famous people who sat in its halls. Even today, Gran Caffè Quadri is a favorite of actors and directors attending the Venice Film Festival.
Harry’s Bar
More recent, but equally fascinating, is the story of Harry’s Bar, opened in 1931 and declared a national monument in 2001. Built from an old warehouse close to Piazza San Marco, Harry’s Bar owes its name and existence to the American student Harry Pickering. This is not strictly a coffee bar, but inside intellectuals, artists, writers such as Arturo Toscanini, Guglielmo Marconi, Charlie Chaplin, all spent time.
Caffè La Calcina
Moving to the southern limit of the city, in the ancient neighborhood called Le Zattere, we will find Caffè La Calcina, another important spot that was a meeting place for artists and writers in the early 1900s. The place is now a bar and restaurant called La Piscina, in memory of the bathhouse with a pool that used to be there.
1. Where would you go if you are interested in cultural evens?| A．Caffè Florian. | B．Gran Caffè Quadri. |
| C．Harry’s Bar. | D．Caffè La Calcina. |
| A．Piazza San Marco | B．an old warehouse |
| C．Arturo Toscanini | D．an American student |
| A．They were popular among celebrities. | B．They are on the decline nowadays. |
| C．They are located in St.Mark’s Square. | D．They were built from old houses. |
8 . Decades ago, NASA asked experts to develop the "smell of space1' in order to help prepare astronauts for the experience of outer space. Now, a perfume, Eau de Space, has attracted eager buyers.
According to the Kickstarter campaign, which has been launched to sell Eau de Space, the history of the "smell of space" has been unclear owing to various accounts of its development. Ever since the first spacewalk, astronauts have been shocked by the smell.
NASA astronauts Col. Chris Hadfield said, "The only time you can smell space is when you come back from a spacewalk. As you open the hatch(舱门)，there is a distinctive smell. " Some astronauts and space tourists describe it as fruit, or burnt cookies. Astronauts Gene Cernan talked of another smell he experienced: "The moon smells like spent gunpowder " The smell of space is so distinct that NASA reached out to fragrance makers to recreate the smell, according to NASA documents.
Now, the makers have cooperated with award winning perfumers(香水调配师)，and report that they've secured commercial contracts to reproduce the smell based on astronaut’s accounts.
At S29 per boule. Eau de Space will help support STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) programs for students. “For every bottle of Eau de Space you buy, were going to donate one to a STEM program for low-income. It’s a big promise and isn’t the best decision for a company trying to make a profit. But we really believe in the cause and hope you do too. Imagine that a child who smells Eau de Space today is inspired Io become an astronaut, scientist or engineer,” shows Kickstarter.
Eau de Space will be made in the UK employing low-income labor and environmentally-friendly practices, including zero manufacturing waste, according to the campaign. So far, about 11,000 people have become supporters.
1. Why was the Kickstarter campaign started?| A．To promote Eau de Space. | B．To attract perfume makers. |
| C．To explain the “smell of space”. | D．To recreate the “smell of space”. |
| A．Its makers will make a profit of S28 per bottle, |
| B．It has been available in the market for a long lime. |
| C．It can get astronauts ready for their space experience. |
| D．Its smell is designed according to astronauts' descriptions. |
| A．Part of its profits will support low-income students. |
| B．The company will offer its employees high salaries. |
| C．Its production process won't damage the environment. |
| D．About 11,000 people have tried it out personally so far. |
| A．Eau de Space, a Perfume Used in Space |
| B．The “Smell of Space”, a Perfume on the Way |
| C．The History of Developing the “Smell of Space” |
| D．Astronauts’ Different Accounts about the Space Smell |
9 . Observing fish in the ocean depths is challenging. Water pressure, dark light and more make exploring the ocean a tricky expedition. But researchers at MIT believe they have the answer: a soft robot fish called SoFi(short for soft fish).
This small, fish-looking robot swims quietly through its environment, free from anything attached to it so it doesn't disrupt the ecosystem by knocking into things and breaking them. They've already take SoFi out for a successful test swim.
“To our knowledge, this is the first robotic fish that can swim untethered for extended periods of time, Robert Katzschmann, lead author and Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence Laboratory(CSAIL) Ph.D. candidate, said in a statement.
This is a marked improvement over other autonomous underwater vehicles(AUVs), which are loud, large and have a limited range of motion as they're often tied to boats. SoFi isn't any of those things thanks to its unique design and construction. For starters, the back side of the little robot fish is made of silicon rubber and flexible plastic, meaning it won't damage a reef if bumps into it.
To control SoFi, the team turned to one of the best ways to control just about anything: a waterproofed and customized control pad for a Super Nintendo. The researchers also developed a custom acoustic communication system to send SoFi instructions. So long as they're within 70 feet(21 metres) of SoFi, pushing a right, left, up and down on the direction pad will send an ultrasonic command using wavelengths of 30 to 36 kilohertzes. SoFi receives the command and follows it. If SoFi doesn't receive a command it'll just swim in the last commanded direction. SoFi is powered by a lithium polymer battery, the kind found in smart phones, and it can film and take high-resolution photos thanks to a fisheye lens housed in its "nose".
However…
1. Which is true about SoFi?| A．It can swim quietly without disturbing others. | B．It can swim faster than any other real fish. |
| C．It should be tied to boats. | D．It needn't be controlled by human beings. |
| A．Without anything attached to it. | B．Without a chargeable battery. |
| C．Without being observed by people. | D．Without making any loud noise. |
| A．To tell us SoFi is easy to make with. | B．To tell us SoFi is lighter than we expect. |
| C．To tell us SoFi is safe to the environment. | D．To tell us SoFi cannot be damaged by water. |
| A．Some negative aspects of SoFi. | B．SoFi will change the concept of robot. |
| C．Scientists will make SoFi change its shape. | D．SoFi will bring a revolution to the sea exploration. |
10 . Innovations are not always welcome. In 1589 William Lee made his way to the English court, hoping to be granted a patent for his invention, a knitting machine. Queen Elizabeth I turned him down: "Consider what the invention could do to my poor subjects," she commanded. "It would assuredly bring ruin to them by robbing them of employment."
The fears of Good Queen Bess have echoed down the centuries—from the Luddites, who destroyed textile machinery in the early 19th century, to John F. Kennedy, who warned of the dangers of automation during his presidential campaign of 1960. In the 21st century the concerns have switched to robots and artificial intelligence (AI); 30% of American workers believe their jobs are likely to be replaced by robots and computers in their lifetime
In the past the relationship between machine and human labor has been driven by two factors: the substituting effect, which caused people to lose jobs, and the complementing effect, which allowed employees to do their work more productively. Mr. Susskind worries that, in the future, the substituting effect will take over. Advances in Al have been so rapid that machines will eventually be better than people at most activities, he says, and so will be the "default（默认）choice" for performing them. A few highly paid humans will still be employed, but the rest will either struggle to find work or fall into the "precariat", stuck in jobs that are not just poorly paid but also unstable and stressful.
This depressing view of the impact of technology is plausible（貌似有理的）. But so is a more optimistic outlook, as the economist Roger Bootle showed in his book. Mr. Bootle argued that Al and robotics would improve productivity and economic growth, and release people from performing the most lengthy tasks. As for employment, there will always be demand for services with the human touch. Perhaps, the truth is that it is impossible to be sure whether the latest advances will in the end have mainly good or bad economic effects.
1. What's the purpose of the examples in Paragraphs 1 and 2?| A．To tell people how many inventions are made. |
| B．To remind people how important the machines are. |
| C．To demonstrate the possible dangers to human beings. |
| D．To show some people's attitude towards new inventions. |
| A．People who have stable jobs. | B．People who like their jobs. |
| C．People who are stuck in bad jobs. | D．People whose jobs are well-paid. |
| A．Positive. | B．Negative. | C．Neutral. | D．Indifferent. |
| A．The impact of technology is depressing. |
| B．He showed a pessimistic attitude to technogy in his book. |
| C．AI and robotics would harm productivity and economic growth. |
| D．AI and robotics release people from performing long and tiring tasks. |
