1 . Video calls are a common occurrence but have you imagined being able to touch the person on the other end of the line? Scientists are making this a reality.
Researchers at the University of New South Wales, Australia, have invented a soft skin stretch device(SSD), haptic(触觉的) device that can recreate the sense of touch. Haptic technology can copy the experience of touch by stimulating(刺激) the skin through force, vibration(震动) or motion.
Vibration is the most common haptic technology today and has been built into many electronic devices, such as one attached to the back of trackpad (触控板) in laptops. However haptic feedback with vibration becomes less sensitive when the trackpad is used continuously. The existing technology also has great difficulty recreating the sense of touch with objects in virtual environments or located remotely.
The new technology overcomes issues with existing haptic devices. The research team introduced a novel method to recreate the sense of touch through soft, artificial “muscles”.
It works like this:imagine you call a friend in Australia. You wear a haptic glove with the SSDs and your friend also wears a glove with 3D force sensors. If your friend picks up an object, it will physically press against your friend's fingers. And the glove with 3D force sensors will measure these interactions. The force signals can be sent to your glove so your device will generate the same 3D forces, making you experience the same sense of touch as your friend.
The haptic devices could be used in various fields, allowing users to feel objects inside a virtual world or at a distance. This could be especially beneficial during such times like the COVID-19 pandemic when people rely on video calls to stay connected with loved ones. Or it could be used in medical practices. Doctors could feel a patient's organ tissues without touching them.
1. According to the text, SSD can .| A．improve skin health | B．recall earlier experiences |
| C．recreate the sense of touch | D．be used as the trackpad in laptops |
| A．how SSD works | B．what advantages SSD has |
| C．how vibration can be used | D．what problems the current technology has |
| A．Tasting a dish on the video call. |
| B．Enjoying classical music at home. |
| C．Admiring beautiful scenery online |
| D．Performing a distant medical operation. |
| A．Science. | B．Entertainment. |
| C．Education. | D．Health |
2 . How was 2019 for you? Was it pleasant and full of joy? Or was it unpleasant and full of sadness? Either way, some good things happened this year that can warm your heart. Let's take a look.
A Thailand supermarket came up with a great way to cut down the plastic packaging. It wraps the things in banana leaves instead of plastic. | South Korea is having the daytime disco parties for people over 65.The goal is to help fight loneliness and dementia in the elderly people. |
There are only two northern white rhinos left in the world. They live in Africa. This year, scientists successfully fertilized seven of their eggs. This might help to save the dying ones! | Students at a primary school in Maine, the US, are learning the sign language. They are doing this in order to help a deaf 6-year-old girl feel welcomed at their school. They hope that she'll be happy every day. |
| A．dangerous animals around the world | B．different cultures in different countries |
| C．exciting things that can warm our hearts | D．something special that happened in 2018. |
| A．to cut down the plastic packaging | B．to help a deaf 6-year-old girl |
| C．to save the dying ones. | D．to help the elderly people. |
| A．A Chinese supermarket uses the leaves to wrap the things. |
| B．South Korea set up a disco club to help dementia people. |
| C．Scientists in Africa try to help save the white rhinos in danger. |
| D．Primary school students are learning the sign language to help a boy. |
| A．Language Corner | B．Magic World |
| C．Food Square | D．School Time |
3 . Inside the white, bacteria-free walls of a new building on the southern outskirts of Beijing, two employees wearing masks and rubber gloves are busy injecting a clear, colorless liquid into rows of small bottles.
The 215,000 square feet production plant was built in recent months specifically for producing a Covid-19 vaccine (疫苗) developed by Chinese pharmaceutical company Sinovac Biotech.
CoronaVac, the vaccine candidate from Sinovac, is part of China’s push to be at the forefront of rolling out immunizations (免疫接种) against the deadly novel coronavirus.
The Nasdaq-listed biotech company began developing its vaccine in late January, less than a week after Wuhan—the original epicenter of China’s coronavirus outbreak—went into a strict lockdown.
By June, China had largely contained the coronavirus, dealing with only a small number of outbreaks. Those newly reported Covid-19 cases in China didn’t meet the necessary conditions for a Phase 3 trial, so Sinovac reached an agreement with Brazil—which ranks second in the world for infections, with more than 3.6 million reported cases.
In cooperating with the Butantan Institute in Sao Paulo, a Phase 3 study was launched in late July involving 9,000 volunteers, all health professionals who have worked with Covid-19 patients but haven’t been infected with the virus.
The tests are ongoing, but Dimas Covas, president of the Butantan Institute, said Wednesday primary data shows CoronaVac developed immunity in 97% of the people vaccinated after two doses—a level he said was “fundamental to break the chain of transmission of the coronavirus.”
1. From which of the following is the text probably taken?| A．A biology textbook. | B．A news report. |
| C．A book review. | D．A travel brochure. |
| A．Launching. | B．Distributing. |
| C．Guarding. | D．Burning. |
| A．China’s successful lockdown in Wuhan. |
| B．A sufficient number of infected patients. |
| C．All health professionals and volunteers. |
| D．The Nasdaq-listed biotech company. |
| A．Forefront: China’s push to develop a coronavirus vaccine. |
| B．Lockdown: China’s successful move to contain the outbreaks. |
| C．Infection: Brazil’s ranking second to surprise the world. |
| D．Immunity: Brazil’s effort to break the chain of transmission. |
4 . Most people agree that eating healthy food is important. But sometimes making good food choices can be difficult. Now, there are apps that can help people learn about the food they eat to improve their health and their dining out experience.
Open Table app
Open Table app helps people choose restaurants when they want to go out to eat. It is a free service that shows users restaurant available based on where and when they want to dine. It gives users points when they make reservations (预定), which can add up to discounts on restaurant visits.
Max McCalman's Cheese &Wine Pairing app
Wine and cheese can be a great combination. But which wines go best with which cheeses? Max McCalman's Cheese & Wine Pairing app can help. It provides information about hundreds of different cheeses and suggests wines to pair with each. Max McCalman's Cheese&. Wine Pairing app is free.
Happy Cow app
Vegetarians do not eat animal meat. Vegans do not eat any animal products. The Happy Cow app is made for both groups. Users can search for vegetarian-vegan restaurants and stores around the world.
Local Eats app
Restaurant chains, like McDonalds, can be found almost anywhere a person might travel. But sometimes travelers want to eat like locals. The Local Eats app is designed for that. It can help you find local restaurants in major cities in the US and in other countries. It costs about a dollar.
Where Chefs Eat app
“Where Chefs Eat” is a 975 page book. Most people would not want to carry that around. But there is a much lighter app version of the same name for just $ 15. Six hundred chefs provide information on 3, 000 restaurants around the world on the Where Chefs Eat app.
1. What do the first two apps have in common?| A．They are both free of charge. | B．Discounts are provided on both. |
| C．Best wines can be reserved on both. | D．They tell you where to find the best restaurant. |
| A．People who love drinking wine. | B．People who don't t eat meat or animal products. |
| C．People who enjoy meat very much. | D．People who often eat in restaurant. |
| A．On a tourism guide. | B．In a students' textbook. |
| C．In a cellphone application introduction. | D．On a scientific discovery TV program. |
5 . I have well travelled in Spain and visited a good number of Spanish cities. However, no city will ever quite match Cadiz, where I spent six months studying as a student.
Before that, I knew very little about Cadiz but I decided to take a risk and explore it. Well, the risk certainly paid off.
Cadiz, Europe’s oldest city, hangs off Spain’s southern coast on a peninsula (半岛), surrounded almost entirely by water. As you leave the shady streets of the historical old city and explore more of it, you are met with vast areas of the blue Atlantic Ocean and white sandy beaches, which in my opinion are some of the best in Spain!
One of the great things about Cadiz is the wonderful, rich culture of food and drink. There are little tapas (小吃) bars lining every street and most will serve tapas for around 1.50~2 euros, meaning you can try a whole variety of Andalusian dishes.
Cadiz has also come to be known as “The Singing City”. It comes from the annual carnival (狂欢节), one of the biggest in Europe. A very large number of people go to Cadiz to see it. During those ten days, Cadiz’s narrow streets are filed with the sound of singing as musical groups fight for a place in the contest, which takes place on the last Saturday of carnival. The songs perfectly show the sense of humor of the Gaditanos, who, besides being so warm and welcoming, are said to have the best sense of humor in Spain!
That is my experience of Cadiz: a wonderful, typically Andalusian city which is often overlooked but well worth a visit. I can currently living in Huelva, just a short drive from Cadiz, so please pay attention to my next sharing!
1. What dose the word “that” underlined in paragraph 2 refer to?| A．Studying in Cadiz. | B．Competing in a match. |
| C．Teaching a student. | D．Becoming an explorer. |
| A．The unknown origin and long history of Cadiz. | B．The beautiful life of people living to Cadiz. |
| C．The geographic position and scenery of Cadiz. | D．The author’s complex attitude towards Cadiz. |
| A．A number of local people enjoy humorous songs. |
| B．Singing is everywhere during a big annual carnival. |
| C．Many grand carnivals attract well-known singers. |
| D．A lot of singing competitions take place each year. |
| A．A post on the Internet. | B．A geography textbook. |
| C．A travel brochure. | D．A biography. |
6 . For some of us who long to travel, it can be difficult to find someone to journey with. Friends and family members are tied down in jobs, struggling to save money, and don't always want to go to the same places. The solution, of course, is to go it alone.
Melbourne, Australia
Melbourne is a hot-spot travel destination, which has beautiful beaches as well as busy and lively city life. Australia as a whole is considered a safe destination for international travel, and because of that, many solo (单独) travelers go there. Melbourne is incredibly easy to get around because you can walk or bike practically anywhere!
Thailand
Thailand is great for solo travelers-perhaps because it is one of the Buddhist mentality, which promotes equality among the sexes. Thailand is known for its friendly hospitality, and as a travel hot-spot, there are plenty of chances to meet other like-minded travelers. Overall known for being very cheap, especially in the north, it's a good choice if you want to get away on a budget.
Bhutan
Bhutan is one of the most cultural countries in the world. It is also home to the world's highest unclimbed peak，Gangkhar Puensum. The mountain is sacred（神圣的）and entry is only possible on a pre-booked tour，where you are accompanied around by your own personal guide. Plastic bags have been banned in Bhutan since 1999 and in 2004, it became the first country in the world to outlaw tobacco.
Costa Rica
Costa Rica is a great place if you're looking for adventure, with surfing, volcanoes and other recreational activities. You'll never get a chance to feel lonely because there's an abundance of exciting adventures to experience! Costa Rica has never seen political unrest, class struggles or revolutions commonly associated with other Latin American Countries. What's more, it doesn't have or need an army because it's such a peaceful country.
1. Which place is suitable for travelers short of money?| A．Melbourne, Australia. | B．Thailand. |
| C．Bhutan . | D．Costa Rica. |
| A．You can climb the mountain without booking ahead. |
| B．You can prepare some plastic bags for your rubbish. |
| C．You can experience the rich culture there. |
| D．Smoking is allowed at the foot of the mountain. |
| A．A historical document. | B．A science magazine. |
| C．A travel guide. | D．A book review. |
7 . Researchers have been looking forward to using tiny flying robots to settle important tasks. The various machines could be used to help astronauts on space missions, and even to help bees with plant pollination(授粉). However, fitting the heavy electric equipment that is used to power and control the wings into the tiny robot has been challenging. Now thanks to RoboBee X-Wing—the world’s lightest aerial vehicle that can fly not tied to a power source.
Made by Harvard researchers, the insect-inspired robot weighs only 259 milligrams, has four wings whose distance is 3.5 centimeters, and stands 6.5 centimeters high. Its four small wings, which can flap up(拍动) to 170 times a second, are controlled by actuators(驱动器). They become small when the electricity passes through them. Six small solar cells, fitted above the wings to prevent them from disturbing the flight, provide the power.
RoboBee X-Wing is powered by six solar cells. To test its flying abilities, the team, led by doctor Noah Jafferis and PhD student Elizabeth Helbling, exposed the RoboBee X-Wing’s solar cells to LED lighting. To their delight, the tiny robot’s wings began to flap, and it rose, keeping a flight for about half a second. Though the robot lost its flight ability as soon as the power source was turned off, its short flight was cheered for its huge effect on the future of tiny flying robots.
However, though the current RoboBee X-Wing is a step in the right direction, it is not quite ready for main time. The researchers also hope to experiment with other power sources, such as batteries, sun light or radio frequency signals, and to add more advanced “brains” and sensor systems to navigate and complete tasks independently.
1. What can we know about small flying robots according to the first paragraph?| A．They are made to do ordinary tasks by scientists. |
| B．They can be used only for very dangerous task. |
| C．They can be powered directly by the energy of the sun. |
| D．It’s not easy to fit the heavy electric equipment into them. |
| A．Because it is ready for the instant use. |
| B．Because it can take off and fly out of control. |
| C．Because it can fly not tied to a power source. |
| D．Because it can settle important tasks. |
| A．It can’t be used in crowded places. |
| B．It can be used for giving directions. |
| C．It can use radio signals to power itself. |
| D．It still can’t be used widely at present. |
| A．Entertainment. | B．Science. |
| C．Education. | D．Health. |
8 . A new study shows that air pollution can cause a huge reduction in our intelligence. The study was a project involving researchers at Peking University in China and Yale University in the United States.
The researchers reported that long-term exposure to air pollution can affect a person's mental abilities in two areas: Language and math.
The researchers studied about 25,000 people from across China. Between 2010 and 2014, these Chinese men, women and children were given language and math tests. Then researchers compared the test results with measurements of pollution in the air, namely nitrogen dioxide and sulfur dioxide （二氧化硫）.
Xi Chen of the Yale School of Public Health led the study. He and his team found that breathing polluted air can reduce a person's education level by about one year.
Chen said that the effect generally is worse for those over 64 years of age, for men and for those with little or no education.
“The older persons—they are more affected. And we find, quite amazingly, males are more affected than females. And people working outdoors are more affected than people working indoors.
He noted that the youngest people in the study were 10 years old, while the oldest was 90 years old. They came from China's 33 provinces. In his words, the data and facts are convincing and this range of ages and locations across the country provided a real, objective and representative sample.
The researchers noted that the effect of air pollution on verbal ability is even more serious as people age, especially among men and the less educated. The researchers also stressed that every country, whether developed, developing or poor, should focus on air pollution or humans will face a bad situation.
1. What is the result of the study?| A．Air pollution has a bad effect on people's intelligence. |
| B．Females are more affected by air pollution than males. |
| C．Americans are more affected by air pollution than Chinese. |
| D．People working indoors are actually not affected by air pollution. |
| A．It is doubtful. |
| B．It is extremely unfair. |
| C．It is common and not representative. |
| D．It is relatively objective and persuasive. |
| A．The data from the 33 provinces is convincing. |
| B．The whole world should pay attention to air pollution. |
| C．The less educated take more responsibility for air pollution. |
| D．Air pollution's influence on verbal ability is less serious as people age. |
| A．A life diary. | B．A guidebook. |
| C．A science magazine. | D．A biography. |
9 . As the proverb goes，man struggles upwards；water flows downwards．Water runs downhill from mountaintops to streams, to rivers and to oceans．But downhill isn't the only way that water moves．A new study measures how water travels from country to country for human consumption．This flow isn't the type we usually think about．These scientists looked at the water used to grow and make the products which get shipped from nation to nation as imports or exports．They call this a flow of “virtual water”．
We typically think about water as the liquid that flows from a tap．However，92% of the water used by people goes into growing crops, according to a water researcher Arjen Hoekstra．He recently studied the hidden travels of virtual water used in products made from things like crops and meats．These products are shipped around the world．
For example, consider a sugary soft drink．Hoekstra estimated that to produce one half-liter of the drink requires between 170 and 310 liters of water-about 95% is used to grow and process the ingredients. Another 4% goes into the packaging and labeling．In Hoekstra's calculation, when one country produces a half-liter of soda and sells it abroad，it exports as much virtual water as would fill a large refrigerator．
According to Hoekstra's new report, dry countries like Israel and Kuwait, both in the Middle East, get the majority of their virtual water from other countries，through imported products. More surprisingly, some wetter countries, like the Netherlands and the United Kingdom，also get the majority of their virtual water from other places．That means that most of the water used to grow or produce the products and food consumed in those countries came from other countries．
1. The underlined proverb in Paragraph 1 is used to ．| A．inspire readers to struggle upward | B．tell a law of nature |
| C．introduce the topic of the passage | D．summarize the main idea of the passage |
| A．The United Kingdom and China | B．America and Israel |
| C．The Netherlands and Kuwait | D．The Netherlands and America |
| A．Benefits of Virtual Water | B．Hidden Uses of Water |
| C．Crops and Virtual Water | D．Virtual Water’s Worldwide Travels |
| A．A science news report | B．A newspaper advertisement |
| C．A book review | D．A science fiction story |
10 . Bright Side did some research on many places throughout the world where you can buy a house for 1 dollar or for free!
Roubaix, France
If you like France, Roubaix located in the north of France is just for you. The local authorities want it to be populated and attractive. You can buy a small house in the industrial district for just $1. The buyer is supposed to live in this house for 3 years.
Buffalo. USA
Buffalo offers whoever qualifies to buy a house for $1. All you need is to be a lawful citizen of the city and invest amount of money into its decoration（装修. Doing this, the authorities are hoping to make the city beautiful again without spending money.
Liverpool, Great Britain
In Liverpool, most of houses were abandoned by the working class during the years of unemployment. The government is trying to sell the houses for just $1. If you want to buy such a house, it has to be your first deal on buying property (不动产).
Candela, Italy
If you still have any doubts about spending SI on a house, you should know: the government will pay you some money, if you move to Candela. In order to be paid, you need to become a permanent （永久的）citizen and have an income of $7500 per year. If moving alone, you will get S800, and if you are going with your family, the pay can be four times as much as only one person.
For more information of other cities, please Click Here.
1. Why do the authorities of Buffalo provide a house for people with 1$?| A．To improve the lives of poor people. |
| B．To make the city attractive at no cost. |
| C．To solve the problems of employment. |
| D．To attract people to the industrial areas. |
| A．You need to be an unemployed citizen. |
| B．You should live in the house for 3 years. |
| C．You must make the first house purchase. |
| D．You have to repair and decorate the house. |
| A．a textbook. | B．a magazine. |
| C．the Internet. | D．an announcement. |
