1 . It is called a mobility（移动性）system or wheelchair — and it can be seen at Tokyo Airport moving on its own.
The mobility system seats one person and is able to find its way on its own without hitting anything. It has a pre-programmed path of about 600 meters at Tokyo’s Haneda International Airport. The ride lasts several minutes. It travels from the security area to the boarding gate at a speed of 3.5 kilometers per hour. But many people hope this type of technology can help in other places, such as hospitals or parks. The technology uses sensors and cameras to see a clear path and avoid hitting those walking toward it. The person on the machine can start or stop it through a simple controller. It runs on batteries and is programmed to return to where it started from when its passenger gets off. It was demonstrated on Monday by WHILL, the company behind the technology.
WHILL Chief Executive Satoshi Sugie said robotics and self-driving technology reduce the need for a human at the wheel. They are especially useful in these difficult times when we are living with the coronavirus（冠状病毒）. “We are… developing our business in order to help restore a world where people can enjoy moving around with peace of mind,” Sugie said.
The system is helping with social distancing while fighting the spread of the coronavirus. It also helps older passengers and those who need help walking the last few steps to the boarding gate. What’s more, it could help Japan free up labor. Japan, like many other nations, suffers from a labor shortage. The technology could free a worker to do another job.
Tests have been carried out at several airports since last year, including John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York. The company hopes to put it in airports around the world.
1. What is special about the mobility system?| A．It produces no pollution. | B．It works by solar energy. |
| C．It needs no help at the airport. | D．It adjusts the speed to the path. |
| A．It is useless to some people. | B．It is well worth using widely. |
| C．It needs to be further tested. | D．It may not work well in other places. |
| A．Various difficulties of boarding. |
| B．New treatment for the coronavirus. |
| C．The reasons for a labor shortage. |
| D．The advantages of the mobility system. |
| A．Science and technology.. | B．Business and culture. |
| C．Sports and music | D．Geography and history. |
2 . Next time you go on holiday, it's going to feel pretty different. You may have to wear a face mask. And that means getting your point across in an unfamiliar language—all while keeping your mouth covered—could become a bit of a problem.
That's where the C-mask, by Japanese company Donut Robotics, comes in. It's a smart, Internet-connected mouth covering that can make calls, raise the wearer’s voice, and most helpfully for travelers, translate conversations into eight different languages.
If need be, you simply place it over a standard face mask and connect it via Bluetooth to a smartphone. A special app will then allow you to record live conversations, turn them into text and translate them into English, Chinese, French, Korean, Thai, Indonesian, Spanish or Vietnamese (currently only from Japanese)—making it easy to understand what people are saying. It won't actually speak the translated phrases for you, but it does have a built-in amplifier（扩音器）to help you make yourself heard.
“We worked hard for years to develop a robot and we have used what we've researched to create a product that responds to how COVID-19 has reshaped society,'' Donut's CEO recently told reporters. The firm has already raised more than 28 million yen via crowdfunding to develop the product, which will go on sale for 3 ,980 yen in Japan.
There are all manner of fashionable, eco-friendly masks you can now get your hands on— check out these in London, Singapore and Barcelona. But in creating an affordable, high-tech mask, Donut could well be on to something.
1. The C-mask is developed to _______.| A．seek fashion. | B．reshape society. |
| C．replace cellphones. | D．promote communication. |
| A．How the C-mask speaks. |
| B．How the C-mask works. |
| C．What advantages the C-mask brings. |
| D．What languages the C-mask translates. |
| A．take a look. | B．earn a living. |
| C．make a difference. | D．issue a warning. |
| A．Health. | B．Tourism. | C．Fashion. | D．Technology. |
3 . Most people feel that dreams are unique to humans, but many dog owners will likely disagree. They have noticed that their dogs at various times during the sleep may shake legs, snort (哼) and sometimes growl (低声吼叫) which gives the impression that they are dreaming. These things may wonder us about whether dogs dream.
Scientists confirm that dogs probably do dream. It turns out that dog brains and human brains have many similarities during sleep cycles. Researchers used special machines to measure electrical activity in a dog’s brain and a human’s brain. Scientists already knew that when humans dream, a certain part of the brain is active during sleep. Researchers discovered that the same part of the brain is active in sleeping dogs. Scientists have other data that back up these findings.
Many people dream that they are trying to move but cannot. Interestingly, part of that experience is not a dream. When people sleep, the brain produces a chemical that causes the dreamer to become temporarily paralyzed (使麻痹). Researchers think this happens so that people cannot physically act out dreams while they are sleeping. Dog brains make the same chemical. In one study during which this chemical was blocked, sleeping test dogs performed physical activities, such as standing up, sniffing around the room for imaginary rabbits, or chasing imaginary balls.
Because of these similarities, researchers believe that the content of a dog’s dream might come from the same source as a human’s dream. “People’s dreams are usually based on things they did that day,” says Dr. Samantha Hudspith. “So we have reasons to believe that dogs dream about the things they’ve done that day. Of course, there will never be a way to prove this. Dogs cannot describe their dreams the way that humans can.”
1. Which statement is TRUE?| A．Only humans dream. |
| B．The dogs’ shaking legs during the sleep means that they must be dreaming. |
| C．The contents of dogs’ dream is the same as those of humans. |
| D．Whether dogs dream of the things they’ve done that day can not be confirmed. |
| A．It woke up. | B．It stopped dreaming. |
| C．It acted out its dream. | D．It couldn't move its body. |
| A．The guide | B．The report | C．The magazine | D．The brochure |
| A．Similarities Between Humans and Dogs | B．Do Dogs Dream? |
| C．Signs of Dog Dreams | D．Why Do Dogs Dream? |
4 . Most of the 500 whales stranded (搁浅)off Tasmania have now died. Dozens more stricken whales have been found in Australia’s largest ever mass stranding.The estimated total now stands at around 500, with the majority of that number dead and a tenth rescued by authorities on the Island state of Tasmania. Experts believe all of the animals would have been part of one large group. Officials began working to rescue survivors among an estimated 270 whales found on Monday on a beach and two sandbars near the remote coastal town of Strahan. Then another 200 whales were spotted from a helicopter on Wednesday less than 10 kilometres (six miles) to the south.All 200 had been confirmed dead by late afternoon. They were among the 380 whales that have died overall, with estimates from earlier today suggesting that 30 that were alive but stranded and 50 had been rescued since Tuesday, Mr Deka, Wildlife Service manager explained. He added,“We’ll continue to work to free as many of the animals as we can.We’ll continue working as long as there are live animals.”
It is not known what caused the animals to run aground. While stranding events are not unheard of, they are very rare in such large numbers. About 30 whales in the original stranding were moved from the sandbars to open ocean on Tuesday, but several got stranded again. About a third of the first group had died by Monday evening.
Australia’s largest mass stranding had previously been 320 pilot whales near the Western Australian town of Dunsborough in 1996.This week’s incident is the first involving more than 500 whales in Tasmania since 2009.Marine Conservation Programme wildlife biologist Kris Carlyon said the latest mass stranding was the biggest in Australia in terms of numbers stranded and died.
Marine scientist Vanessa Pirotta said there were a number of potential reasons why whales might become beached, including navigational errors.She explained, “They do have a very strong social system; these animals are closely bonded and that’s why we have seen so many in this case unfortunately in this situation.Rescuing them does not always work, because they are wanting to return back to the group, they might hear the sounds that the others are making, or they’re just disoriented and, in this case, extremely stressed, and just probably so exhausted that they in some cases don’t know where they are.” she added.
1. What can be inferred from the first paragraph?| A．270 whales were rescued on Monday. |
| B．380 whales were found dead on Tuesday. |
| C．500 whales were found stranded and dead. |
| D．200 whales spotted from a helicopter were dead. |
| A．Rescue work is not done in time. |
| B．The number of the death is large. |
| C．The cause of the event is still a mystery. |
| D．There was no other similar event in recent years. |
| A．Navigational errors. |
| B．Overhunting of the human beings. |
| C．Whales’ group living style. |
| D．Whales’ confusion and exhaustion. |
| A．A newspaper. | B．A magazine. | C．A textbook. | D．A travel brochure. |
5 . SWITZERLAND TRIP PLANNING
Best Time to Go
Like any other country, you can visit Switzerland at any time of the year and have a fantastic time. However, there’s always a ‘best’ time for what you want to do there so it is always worth checking the seasons. It all depends on what your planned activities are. If you are intending to ski and snowboard, best to go when the snow is at its peak time. Activity in Switzerland can be broken down into three tourist seasons: Low Season (Oct. —Mar.), Mid Season! Apr. —Jun. & Sep.) and High Season (Jul., Aug. & Dec. —Apr. / In this season, everything is open and busy, and watch your budget).
Rough Budget
Switzerland is an expensive country to travel around but it is possible to travel here for approximately $ 70—100 per day if you stay in hostels, cook most of your meals and use local transport only when necessary. You’ll find that food is quite expensive as well as accommodation. However, the entire experience is 100% worth it. Here’s a rough cost of basic commodities.
Accommodation
Budget: $ 30—60 dorms / $ 80—120 budget hotels
Mid-range: $ 150—200
Splurge: $ 250—350+
Food (Typical Meal For One)
Self-catering lunch; $ 10—25
Restaurant: $ 20 lunch / $ 40 dinner
Very nice restaurant: $ 60+
Transport
City Buses: $ 2. 50—5
Intercity Trains: $ 25—50
Exciting Things to Do in Switzerland
With so much to see and do in Switzerland, planning a trip can be tough. Here are the things that we highly recommend doing in Interlaken as it is the adventure capital of Switzerland!
Whether you like skydiving, paragliding, or going on a jet boat, Interlaken offers everything and more for all adventure-seekers and anyone who loves the outdoors. Skydiving in Switzerland is a BUCKET LIST come true for any adventure-seeker. It is absolutely incredible and is something we highly recommend. So check out our full article on things to do in Interlaken for some ideas and see all the adventurous activities available in the area this year!
1. Which can contribute to your budget of $ 70 — 100 per day when traveling in Switzerland?| A．Choosing hotels for accommodation. | B．Cooking meals as much as you can. |
| C．Adopting local means of transport. | D．Attempting to travel in peak seasons. |
| A．You can enjoy yourself to the fullest when going skiing any time in Switzerland. |
| B．Interlaken also offers water activities besides adventure activities like skydiving. |
| C．Both accommodation and hiking in the mountain are expensive in Switzerland. |
| D．Planning a trip in Interlaken can be tough because the activities are dangerous. |
| A．A geography book about Switzerland. | B．An English textbook. |
| C．A composition on Switzerland. | D．A travel brochure. |
6 . Growing Green Thumbs
Children's Community Garden
2200 Bowling Green Ave.,940/349-2883
www.cmga.com
LEARN:Join the weekend work at the community garden,where caregivers and master gardeners help kids aged 5 or older plant and water new vegetables,and harvest from the gardens. All harvested foods are either sold at the community's farmers' market or donated to the area food bank. The instructors also lead games about nutrition,beetles and butterflies and more. Work begins in May, 10 a. m. - 5 p.m. on Saturdays.
COST:Free
Coppell Community Garden
255 Parkway Blvd,Coppell
www.coppellcommunitygarden.org
LEARN: Kids(aged 6 but not turning 12 before Dec. 31 this year) with a parent can volunteer at either the Helping Hands Garden, 25 Parkway Blvd. or Ground Delivery Garden, 45 S. Denton Tap Road. Children will have the opportunity to till(耕）the ground, plant vegetables, ·harvest from the garden and more. Work begins every Saturday at about 9 a. m.
COST:Free
Callie's Kids by Calloway Nursery
Denton,940/591-8865; Flower Mound,972/691-2650
www.mytexasgarden.com..........
LEARN: Kids aged 5 to 10 years old can explore and plant in the Calloway gardens with a caregiver's supervision at 9:30 a. m. on the first or third Wednesdays from June to August. A garden expert will share tips and advice for the best gardening practices during the 45-minute session beginning on June 2. Preregistration online is required.
COST:Free
1. How is Children's Community Garden different from others?
| A．It is based in Denton. |
| B．Kids may take harvests home. |
| C．It is under supervision throughout the year. |
| D．It will cater to those who are fond of insects. |
| A．5-8. | B．5-10. | C．6-11. | D．6-12. |
| A．A food industry committed to charity.' |
| B．An institution offering learning programs. |
| C．A supermarket offering voluntary programs. |
| D．A website promoting kids' gardening facilities. |
7 . The Ebro Delta,known as,a battleground during the Spanish Civil War,is now the setting for a different contest,where rice farmers fight against two enemies:the rice-eating giant apple snail,and rising sell levels.What happens here will have an effect on the future of European rice production and the overall health of southern European wetlands.
Located in the Western Mediterranean,the Ebro Delta produces 120 million kilograms of rice a year,making it one of the continent’s most important rice-growing areas.As the sea moves into these fresh-water marshes(湿地),however,rising salinity(盐分)is hindering rice production.At the same time,this sea-water also kills off the greedy giant apple snail,an introduced pest that feeds on young rice plants.The most promising strategy has become to exploit one evil against the other.
The battle is currently in progress on land,in greenhouses at the University of Barcelona.Scientists working under the guidance of”Project Neurice”are seeking varieties of rice that can withstand the increasing salinity without losing the absorbency.
“The project has two sides,”says Xavier Serrat,Neurice project manager and researcher at the University of Barcelona,”the short-term fight against the snail,and a mid-to long-term fight against climate change.But the snail has given the project greater urgency.”
Originally from South America,the snails were accidentally introduced into the Ebro Delta.For now,the giant apple snail’s presence in Europe is limited to the Ebro Delta,But the snail continues its march to new territory,says Serrat.”The question is not whether it will reach other rice-growing areas of Europe,but when.”
1. What’s the most effective strategy according to Paragraph 2?| A．Beating enemies one by one. | B．Striking the stronger enemy first. |
| C．Killing two birds with one stone. | D．Using one enemy to hit the other. |
| A．It puts the control of snails first. |
| B．It functions pretty well on climate change. |
| C．It aims to increase the Spanish rice production. |
| D．It stresses the snails’effect on rice production. |
| A．It can tolerate the rising salinity. | B．It will attack other rice-growing areas. |
| C．It multiplies at a high speed. | D．It was introduced into Span deliberately. |
| A．Chemistry. | B．Tourism. | C．Farming. | D．Geography. |
8 . Described as the world’s most environmentally friendly protein（蛋白质）, Solein is made by applying electricity to water to release bubbles of carbon dioxide and hydrogen. Living microbes (微生物) are then added to the liquid to feed on the carbon dioxide and hydrogen bubbles and produce the Solein, which is then dried to make the powder. It’s a chemical change process similar to beer brewing. The dried Solein has a protein content of 50 percent and looks and tastes just like wheat flour.
“It is a completely new kind of food, a new kind of protein, different to all the food on the market today in how it is produced as it does not need agriculture.” Dr Pasi Vainikka, the chief manager of Solar Foods told The Guardian. The process used to produce Solein—changing hydrogen and carbon dioxide is amazing, as the wonder food can be produced anywhere in the world. It’s also 10 time-efficient than photosynthesis (光合作用), and 10 to 100 times more environment and climate-friendly in water use than animal or plant-based food production.
“Solein also contains all the essential amino acid (氨基酸),but because it is produced using carbon and electricity, it does not require large amounts of land to produce, ” the Solar Foods website explains. “Another unique characteristic of Solein is that it is able to take carbon directly from carbon dioxide without needing a source of sugar.”
While Solar Foods does not expect Solein to challenge conventional protein production methods in the next two decades, it does expect it to become a “new harvest” for humanity, which is significant considering so far we have only relied on plants and animals for sustenance. The Helsinki-based company plans to open its first Solein factory at the end of 2021 and increase production to two billion meals per year by 2022.
1. Why is Solein described as environmentally friendly?| A．Because it is man-made by using electricity. |
| B．Because it contains all the nutrition people need. |
| C．Because it is made consuming less land and energy. |
| D．Because it is produced from water and carbon dioxide. |
| A．It’ll have a rewarding future. |
| B．It’ll reach consumers in 2020. |
| C．It’ll challenge traditional protein production. |
| D．It’ll be a complete replacement for plants and animals. |
| A．survival | B．food |
| C．material | D．support |
| A．A textbook. | B．A novel. |
| C．A magazine. | D．A brochure. |
9 . China Science Daily announced Thursday that it has used software to automatically generate news stories about the latest discoveries from the world’s leading science journals. The robot science reporter, called “Xiaoke”, was co-created by the newspaper and researchers from Peking University in about half a year.
It is the latest case of Chinese news organizations using computer technology to create content. According to its inventors, Xiaoke has generated over 200 stories based on the English abstract of papers published in journals such as Science, Nature, Cell and the New England Journal of Medicine.
Before publication, the automatically generated articles will go through a review process. A group of scientists and the newspaper’s editors will check the content or give supplementary (补充的) information.
Zhang Mingwei, head of the program and vice editor-in-chief of the newspaper, said inventors would make Xiaoke a “cross-linguistic (跨语言的) academic secretary” to help Chinese scientists overcome language barriers and have easy and quick access to the latest scientific advances in English-language publication. Lead researcher Wan Xiaojun, of Peking University in charge of the system’s design and technology, stressed that the content generation tool could do far more than translation. According to Wan, Xiaoke is good at selecting complex words and sentences, which can help turn articles full of confusing technical terms into easy and readable news reports.
The readers of the robot reporter is not limited to professionals but also includes the general public. Science reporting is important in spreading information about discoveries and in popularizing knowledge to people.
1. What can we learn about “Xiaoke”?| A．It is a professional translator. |
| B．It has the most advanced AI. |
| C．It can make up fiction stories. |
| D．It generates science news reports. |
| A．Upgrade the artificial intelligence. |
| B．Select complex words and sentences. |
| C．Check the content and add information. |
| D．Help it get the latest scientific advances. |
| A．Science. |
| B．Education. |
| C．Entertainment. |
| D．Health. |
| A．The robot writer of science news. |
| B．The readers of the science reports. |
| C．The editor-in-chief of the newspaper. |
| D．The latest case of news organizations. |
10 . A tracked robot approaches a pile of brushwood blocking its path. This is Rolan, short for Robot Manipulator (操控者), who is practising for what is its graduation ceremony, when it will show off its skills. After a pause, it reaches out an arm, takes hold of a branch, lifts it up and drags it clear.
Though this is a small action for a human being, it is a breakthrough for robots, according to Stuart Young of the Army Research Laboratory, who is in charge of the RoMan project. As is known, robots easily become confused by something unexpected, some unfamiliar and none with convenient handles. Taking it apart is far beyond the power of any industrial robot. Dr. Young says that, as far as he knows, RoMan is the first machine able to manipulate unfamiliar objects in an unknown environment.
Just as a human being would, it has to learn about the world through observation and experiment before manipulating it. So it is trained on numerous tree branches until it is able to recognize unfamiliar ones for what they are and knows to grasp the trunk, rather than the leaves or the branches. Having grasped an object, RoMan assesses its weight and decides whether to try to lift it or drag it.
Dr. Young hopes to take this further by dealing with piles of burning tyres. He also wants RoMan to be able to use its body weight in the way a human being might to push open a tight door or to move heavy furniture by bracing against a wall. One problem with RoMan is that it is still impractically slow. It often takes 10-15 seconds to decide what to do. RoMan will also need to learn to deal with a wider range of objects.
However, the device's future could be bright. Beyond military applications, its following generations might work in warehouses, pick fruit, clear litter or tidy people's homes. They might even collect rocks from the surface of Mars.
1. Why does RoMan take a pause before taking action?| A．The branch is too heavy for it. |
| B．It is reflecting on its next move. |
| C．It takes time to show off its skills. |
| D．It is totally confused by the mess. |
| A．Everything existing around. |
| B．Observation before manipulating. |
| C．The similarity to a human being. |
| D．RoMan's ability acquired by training. |
| A．The author's wish for RoMan. | B．The power of RoMan's weight. |
| C．Dr.Young's regret for RoMan. | D．RoMan's room for improvement. |
| A．Sports&Entertainment. | B．Health&Medicine. |
| C．Education&Career. | D．Science&Technology. |
