1 . In “Social Robots for Education”, a study published last August in Science Robotics, the summary is: “Social robots can be used in education as private teachers or peer learners. They have been shown to be effective in increasing cognitive（认知的） and emotional results and have achieved results similar to those of human teaching on some tasks. This is largely because of their physical presence, which traditional learning technologies lack.”
The study showed a few reasons why educational robots are becoming a teaching fashion. Firstly, they can help cut school budgets. Secondly, teachers seem at a loss as there are growing numbers of students per classroom. Besides, educational robots can meet the demand for greater personalization of students. Instead of just seating students in front of a computer screen with software to teach them，many teachers can choose a more interactive（互动的） educational experience through robots.“Robots are an ideal choice when the material to be taught requires direct physical presentation. For example, teaching physical skills, such as handwriting or basketball free throws, the study expressed. But, don’t expect Siri or Alexa to replace real teachers right away.
“Although robots can operate independently in certain contexts, fully autonomous social teaching behavior in all environments remains difficult to achieve,” the study said. “Although automatic speech recognition and social signal processing have improved in recent years, speech recognition for younger users, for example, is still not strong enough for most interactions.”
Robots are already used for science, technology, engineering and math, which is called STEM education. “More and more educational robots are being developed because they’ve been largely effective in teaching users topics like computer programming, AI and engineering, in a handson, engaging way,” said Maria Jung, product public relations manager at DJI, developer of the RoboMaster S1.
She said the Rob Master educational robot was created with the purpose of benefiting middle to high school students learning, both inside and outside of the classroom. It helps students become familiar with the basics of robotics through simple controls.
“The main functions of an educational robot are to provide an opportunity to see lessons come to life, educate users in an interesting way and provide an on going stream of learning with new content,” she added.
1. According to the passage, what can we know about educational robots?| A．They keep students learning in front of a computer screen. |
| B．They can be fully independent in recognizing speech. |
| C．They can carry out autonomous social teaching wherever possible. |
| D．They provide a more interactive educational experience for students and teachers. |
| A．Teachers won’t be needed anymore. |
| B．More subjects can be taught in an effective way. |
| C．Students will be disturbed by the educational robots. |
| D．Students can have free communication with the robots. |
| A．Doubtful | B．Disapproving |
| C．Objective | D．Supportive |
2 . For some of us, the excitement of seeing a performance at a European opera house is just not enough. Fortunately, opera houses throughout Europe open their backstage doors to the public. Take advantage of these opportunities to look behind the scenes of some of the world's great opera houses.
Teatro alla Scala Opera House Tours—Milan
Discover the activities within the opera house on a backstage tour of the La Scala theater in Milan. The tour also includes an overview of the history of the theater and guides you through the auditorium(观众席) and the theater boxes.
Paris Opera House Tours—Paris
While it is possible to walk around the public areas of the beautiful Paris Opera House on your own, guided tours are also offered and are led by an English-speaking guide. During the 90- minute tour, you will learn about the theater's history and its architecture. You will also have an opportunity to visit the grand staircase.
Royal Opera House Tours—London
It is one of the most comprehensive of the opera house tours in Europe. The guide at the Royal Opera House takes you through sections of the backstage area to the props (道具) room, where workers build the sets, the costume shop and the ballet studios. There's a chance that you will even catch the ballet dancers backstage in practice in their big ballet studio.
La Fenice Opera House Tours—Venice
Teatro La Fenice in Venice offers a couple of options for visitors. A self-guided tour of the beautiful halls and grounds with a voice guide is available at the box office. Guided tours are also available with an expert that will explain the history of the opera house from its origins to its rebuilding.
1. In which opera house might you be able to see a costume shop backstage?| A．The Teatro alla Scala Opera House | B．The Paris Opera House |
| C．The Royal Opera House | D．The La Fenice Opera House |
| A．They all offer free guided tours. |
| B．They all open their backstage areas to the public. |
| C．They are all free to the public. |
| D．They are all located in France. |
| A．In a sports magazine | B．In an adventure novel |
| C．In a history book | D．On a culture website |
3 . Enjoy the challenge of a new term
The new term is finally here, which means, of course, it's time to return to school.
For many students across China, that also means having to leave home for the next several months and move into a school dormitory.
Being away from our family for a long time, however, often leads to homesickness, a feeling that most students have experienced at some point.
A study by the UK's National Union of Students found that up to 70 percent of UK students living away from home experience homesickness within their first few weeks of being away.
But homesickness isn't just a feeling of sadness that happens in our mind; it can also affect us physically.
“You feel homesickness in your stomach—it's an unease in which you feel uncomfortable, nervous, stressed because you're in a place or situation that's not familiar,” Joshua Klapow, a professor of public health at the University of Alabama, us, told HuffPost.
According to Klapow, the body reacts physically when it's placed in an unknown situation such as being separated from one's familiar surroundings for a long time.
“It's an evolutionary(进化的) thing that makes us protect ourselves from danger when something is unknown," he told the HuffPost.
“When we think about home, we know that the sense of unknown … is not happening there, so we want to return.”
So, how can we overcome these physical reactions?
Ruth Hardy of the Guardian offered advice for students who are feeling the effects of being away from the safety of home.
“Try and establish routines(常规) quickly. This can make your new environment feel more stable and will hopefully make you feel more settled,” she wrote.
Making friends with others who are in your situation is also a great way to feel less homesick, according to Hardy.
The most important thing to remember, however, is that homesickness is completely normal and is nothing to be ashamed of.
And once it's gone, you're free lo enjoy the adventures and challenges of a brand new school year.
1. The study by the UK's National Union of Students is mentioned to.| A．show how homesickness causes harm to students |
| B．prove it's common for students to feel homesick |
| C．introduce some causes of homesickness |
| D．show how all young people are troubled by homesickness |
| A．It's only a feeling in our mind. |
| B．It usually disappears after a few weeks. |
| C．It has a physical influence on our body. |
| D．It always happens once we visit an unfamiliar place. |
| A．It shows people the importance of their family. |
| B．It drives people to get used to changes. |
| C．It encourages people to express their feelings. |
| D．It keeps people away from possible dangers. |
| A．Take part in as many activities as possible. |
| B．Talk about your problems with your friends. |
| C．Get into a routine as early as possible. |
| D．Avoid seeing things related to your home life. |
4 . Living life to its fullest
On the night of August 24, 2001, everything changed when my friend's car hit a wall with me inside. I lost most of my right leg, and I was left bleeding with several broken bones. At the hospital, although my body was weak, my mind was still very clear. I just kept telling myself to hold on. A week later, I made a deal with the doctors that once I could roll onto my side, I could leave. Two weeks later, I was allowed to go home.
Although I left the hospital, the fight was far from over. My left knee was badly injured, which resulted in different operations over the next few years.
And soon, more of my right leg had to be removed. This made it harder to wear my false leg, so I donated it to a nurse who couldn't afford one for herself. The joy of being able to provide this gift for someone else was greater than the happiness I felt on any day I was able to wear it myself.
People often tell me they're proud of me for staying strong. But in my mind, staying strong has always been my only choice. So, on the day I left the hospital, I made a promise to myself to always live life to the fullest. Now, I may not be able to do things the way everybody else does them, but still, I always find a way to do them. I soon settled into everyday life again, until one day I realized I wasn't living my life as fully as I wanted to.
After 13 years of thinking that I was confident, I had an unfamiliar feeling sweep over me. For the first time in my life, I was not only confident but I wanted to help those around me.
In 2014, I even started modeling. My dream is that one day a little girl will see me in a magazine and say, “Wow, she's beautiful, and she only has one leg. I could do that too someday, even though I have a disability.” My dream is simple: to inspire every man, woman, and child into knowing and believing that they are beautiful just the way they are.
1. How did the author feel after the car accident?| A．She complained that life was unfair to her. |
| B．She was unable to accept the loss of her leg. |
| C．She kept a positive attitude toward life. |
| D．She felt lucky that she was still alive. |
| A．She was able to offer help to others. |
| B．She could wear her false leg again. |
| C．She had lived her life to the fullest. |
| D．She could do everyday things the same as everybody else. |
| A．She wanted to be a famous magazine star. |
| B．She wanted to encourage others to be confident about themselves. |
| C．She wanted to challenge herself to be a speaker. |
| D．She wanted to prove that disabled people could also succeed. |
| A．To stress the importance of having a dream. |
| B．To show how difficult the life is for disabled people. |
| C．To inspire others by sharing her past experiences. |
| D．To give advice to disabled people on how to make a living. |
